Parents have been campaigning against it for years, but finally, a council-backed website offering children graphic sex advice on sadomasochistic torture, porn, orgies and other degrading practices, has been pulled offline.
Warwickshire County Council temporarily suspended their ‘Respect Yourself’ website which was set up back in 2012 to offer 13 to 25-year-olds information about all things sex-related. Visitors are no longer able to access the website which now states the content is currently “under review.”
The decision to remove the site came after more than 700 parents signed a petition claiming the content normalises degrading and dangerous sadomasochistic practices inspired by pornography.
The website, which is aimed at children as young as 13, includes a question from a 12-year-old girl who says she has a crush on her female teacher and can’t sleep at night because she’s addicted to masturbating and watching porn.
The responder on the site, whose role it is to offer advice to youngsters, said nothing about the harmful and addictive effects of porn, instead, the child was encouraged in her behaviour and told it is “perfectly natural” because, as stated elsewhere, most people “have a fiddle now and then.”
Rather than steering youngsters away from pornography, the website outright advocates for porn-viewing, saying:
Many people have been quite vocal and do truly believe that porn is dangerous for young people to watch.
However, there are no scientific studies that give evidence to suggest that watching porn is any more likely to turn you into a sex addict than watching a violent film is likely to turn you into a serial killer.
In fact, there is more evidence to suggest the opposite. It is perfectly natural to be curious and get horny and want to watch something that turns you on.
Elsewhere the website offers children advice for when they want to masturbate but don’t have access to a phone or laptop to watch porn.
“Let your mind do the work,” the site says, “and you will more than likely find that your orgasm will help you sleep. Remember there is nothing wrong with having a fiddle – and fantasising, but you need your sleep too.”
Another section suggests people shouldn’t feel uncomfortable if their partner watches porn.
Both girls and guys masturbate, and many like to watch films, read books or look at pictures that turn them on when they do – so why are we so uncomfortable with the idea?
There is a lot in the media about porn at the moment, but what is it we find so offensive? We watch films to make us cry, make us scared or make us laugh… why not turn us on?
Although the website was taken down, the creators of the petition are still demanding answers as to how the content was published in the first place.
“We are aware the website has been taken down and is currently ‘under review’. However, we note that Warwickshire County Council have made no comment which recognises the harmful nature of some of the content of this website, nor have they sought to explain to parents how this came to be published.
“We would like to encourage people to continue to sign our petition until WCC addresses our concerns.”