According to the study Sexual Disinformation: Pornography and Adolescence by the non-governmental organization Save the Children, most adolescents consume pornography — seven out of ten in Álava, Bizkaia and Gipuzkoa — and some very often. Along the same lines are Josebe Iturriotz (Ordizia, 1978), a transfeminist activist and expert in these matters. Iturriotz is a professor of profession and currently teaches at the Lizardi Institute in Zarautz. Based on his experience, he added that this trend is “very general”.

In the Primavera Transloratzen cycle, organized by the City of Ordizia, Iturriotz has just delivered a conference on the subject and, coinciding with the study, also believes that adolescents start consuming the first pornographic content “at the age of 12”. In addition, Ordiziarra states that this age group should be reduced “more”, “by listening to the views of experts and some people who work in pornography”. She warns that boys and girls can also watch their first videos at 8 or 9 years old. However, in Iturrioz’s opinion, more than pornography consumption, the problem is “the interpretation adolescents make of what is consumed”; “there are sexual practices that can be naturalized, and that, of course, influences their sexual relations, the body images they construct…”.

In the expert’s words, “hegemonic porn” is the most consumed and the most affordable nowadays, “even if there are more types of porn”. According to Iturrioz, hegemonic pornography is “the reflection of a male, outdated and unbalanced sex.” In his opinion, certain models of women and men are channeled in these types of films, so choreographies or sexual practices that produce “collide” with “the sexual relations of adolescents who consume them”. According to Iturrioz, in hegemonic pornography pacts "disappear". “There are practices that are naturalized, they are considered normal, but they are normally based on violence.”

Critical tools

Iturriotz has gone further. In fact, the expert considers that the current model of pornography is "the reflection of a great problem that exists in society". “As a society, we have a huge taboo when it comes to sexual transmission. We have a tremendous conflict with that.” The Save the Children study has put teens at the centre, but in Iturrioz’s view all of this data should be generalized because “the vast majority of the population – also adults – consumes pornography, which obviously influences society as a whole”.

Iturriotz has placed another data on the other side of the coin: 64.3% of adolescents perceive lack of information in the sexual and affective sphere. With regard to sex education, Iturriotz has pointed out that in schools “things are done”, “formations, sessions with advisors and sexologists … but it is not enough”. Iturriotz herself, from the conversations she has had with these adolescents, has concluded that these basic formations bother a lot: “Their doubts are not clarified, they are not talked to.” In short, pornography is the only reference that many of these teenagers have in the field of sex.

Impact of new technologies

The teacher explained that, although progress has been made in many respects, young people often have “the same problems as before”. “That lack of transmission is noticeable.” Therefore, in Iturrioz’s view, it is very important, “beyond censorship or bans,” to provide adolescents with “critical tools” for pornography use. He says teenagers would need a place to share their experiences. “We cannot compete with porn and we cannot make an aseptic speech without taking into account the experiences of young people.”

Experts say that the influence of new technologies is behind the increase in pornography consumption. “In fact, thanks to them it is easier to access certain content, at least 20 years ago.” Iturriotz recalled that the mobile phones that many teens have in their hands are “very powerful tools” to deal with the crisis. “Because they have a Google search engine, they have everything within their reach.” In his view, censorship and prohibition are not the best travel partners in this case too, but he stressed "the importance of awareness".

Iturriotz has considered that "in a very short time" the issue of sexual education should be addressed. “If we really want to transform the rape, the violence, the data of abuse… that we have today, it is essential to explain to adolescents what healthy sexual relations are like. And the issue of pornography is fundamental.”