How do we talk to our kids about porn? 

Having conversations with kids about sex and porn isn’t easy. And as they get older it can get harder because they get more awkward.

As parenting expert Maggie Dent says, 

“I don't think anyone ever gets completely comfortable talking about sex with their kids. And if they are great, could you tell us how you do it?”

Still, in almost every conversation we’ve had for this podcast, the solution has constantly been that as a society we need to get better at preparing our kids for sex, and for seeing adult content online.

And we do this for good reason.

“The reason that we might want to have conversations about pornography with our children is because we care about them, we love them, and we want their experiences of relationships and sex to be really positive,” Maree Crabbe, It’s Time We Talked.

So what is the best approach?

In this, the final episode of The Reality of, we find out how and when we should be talking with our kids about sex and porn.

Episodes are released weekly on Wednesdays from 24th September (Episode One).

Head to our website for transcripts and show notes - www.headlineproductions.net/originalpodcasts/therealityof

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What can we do in terms of regulation, censorship and self management to take control of what’s arriving on our screens?

It’s too late to go back in time. Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t completely get rid of the online adult content landscape.

But is there a middle ground?

A number of countries around the world have experimented with age gating content. Has that worked?

And what about on a personal level? What can we do to take control of what we receive online, and what our kids are seeing?

Spend some time with eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant; Teach Us Consent founder, Chanel Contos; and Parenting Guru Maggie Dent while we get some answers.

Episodes are released weekly on Wednesdays from 24th September (Episode One).

Head to our website for transcripts and show notes - www.headlineproductions.net/originalpodcasts/therealityof

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What can we learn about age verification, regulation, tech based abuse and deep fake technology from Korea?

South Korea emerged from a brutal civil war to become one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world.

They have brought KPop, KDrama, the 5G phone and nano printing pens to the world.

They are also heavily regulated.

We’ve heard a fair bit about the dangers of porn over the past five episodes. 

So what about if we just outright ban it? What about if we impose blocks on all porn content and get rid of it?

In this episode we check out what’s happened since South Korea tried to do just that.

We also talk about and tech based sexual violence. 1800Respect.org.au is an online and phone service available to people who have experienced sexual assault in Australia.

Episodes are released weekly on Wednesdays from 24th September (Episode One).

Head to our website for transcripts and show notes - www.headlineproductions.net/originalpodcasts/therealityof

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is there such a thing as porn addiction? When is porn too much, what does it look like, and how can it be overcome?

Porn is everywhere - on your phone, your computer, your gaming console.

So does that mean we’re more likely to have a problem with porn than we did in the past? And if so how can we get away from something that exists wherever we are?

Some researchers question whether porn addiction exists because the manual Australian psychologists use for diagnosis, the DSM 5, doesn’t include pornography addiction.

The World Health Organisation's diagnostic manual, the ICD-11, does list compulsive sexual behaviour disorder as a diagnosis and some practitioners place porn addiction under that.

So is it a thing or not? It seems like that’s still up for debate.

Either way, there is agreement that there is problematic porn use, and that is a growing issue.

What does it look like, and what can we do about it?

Episodes are released weekly on Wednesdays from 24th September (Episode One).

Head to our website for transcripts and show notes - www.headlineproductions.net/originalpodcasts/therealityof

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is porn changing the way we have sex, and how we relate to each other?

In our last episode we learnt that our fantasies can be inspired and deepened by porn. That porn doesn’t make us into someone else, but it can strengthen parts of us. What about when it comes to our actions?

Is what we see in porn feeding into our actual sex lives? Is it changing what we do with each other?

Is it leading to higher rates of sexual assault? Is it encouraging men to treat women differently? Is it making women change how they behave, or how they view their own bodies?

Like everything else, there are a range of views on this. 

Also just a heads up that this episode includes discussions about sexual assault and family and domestic violence. 1800 Respect is an online and phone service available for support if you need to talk about these issues. https://1800respect.org.au/ 

We also talk about issues around body dysmorphia and eating disorders. On this you’re best to go to The Butterfly Foundation https://butterfly.org.au/

Episodes are released weekly on Wednesdays from 24th September (Episode One).

Head to our website for transcripts and show notes - www.headlineproductions.net/originalpodcasts/therealityof

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sexual fantasy is a human instinct, and part of fantasy is often to step beyond the realm of societal norms and push taboos. 

Is porn changing what we fantasize about? Or is what we fantasize about what drives porn?

When should we be worried about our fantasies?

Do women fantasize differently to men? And how does porn impact that difference?

We live in a pretty prescriptive society - there are things that are ok and things that are not, and most of us know the difference.

But those lines can move in sex, and even more in our fantasies.

Episodes are released weekly on Wednesdays from 24th September (Episode One).

Head to our website for transcripts and show notes - www.headlineproductions.net/originalpodcasts/therealityof

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most often heard concerns about internet pornography is that the very nature of the creation of this content is leading to abuse. That people who are acting in films are being forced, and are not being treated properly. But is that true?

Who’s making porn, who’s making money from porn, and how can consumers do better? In this episode our host Liz Keen meets with creators, like Cherie De Ville, and filmmakers like Josie Hess from Permission 4 Pleasure. We also hear from Cindy Gallop from Make Love Not Porn, Maree Crabbe from It’s Time We Talked and Mish Pony from the Scarlet Alliance.

As with every episode, we have collected a range of opinions are research so you can make up your own mind. This show was funded in part by The Walkley Foundation’s Solutions Journalism Grant.

Episodes are released weekly on Wednesdays from 24th September (Episode One).

Head to our website for transcripts and show notes - www.headlineproductions.net/originalpodcasts/therealityof

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What impact is porn having on our society? And what should we do about it? It’s easy to blame porn for a lot - sexual assault rates, the burgeoning Gen Z gender divide, plastic surgery. But what’s the truth about internet porn?

The average age Australian kids see porn is 13. Lots of them come across it by accident, and they generally don’t like to be surprised by it online. More than half of Australian 15-22 year old guys are watching porn weekly. For girls, that number is only 14%. Around 20% of people around the world watch porn regularly. 

Where are people watching porn? Is there a distinction between good porn and bad porn? Or safe porn and dangerous porn? How do we talk to our kids about it, and at what age? Is regulation the answer?

In this episode we start to understand porn, where it is and who’s watching it.

Episodes are released weekly on Wednesdays from 24th September (Episode One).

Head to our website for transcripts and show notes - www.headlineproductions.net/originalpodcasts/therealityof

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How is internet pornography impacting our society? Kids are first seeing porn, on average, by the time they’re 13. With the growth of AI and the pervasiveness of social media, it's nearly impossible to miss. Is it changing our sex lives or is the algorithm just responding to our desires? What's this billion dollar industry really like for the creators making content? Is violence increasing? Are young people at the forefront of an unprecedented social experiment? Will regulation solve this or will it amplify a darker reality? Investigative journalist, Liz Keen spoke with experts around the world to find answers.

The Reality of Porn is an eight part documentary podcast series rolling out from September 24.

Episodes are released weekly on Wednesdays from 24th September (Episode One).

Head to our website for transcripts and show notes - www.headlineproductions.net/originalpodcasts/therealityof

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.