Pornography isn’t just a boys’ issue. Girls are seeing it too, often before their parents realise they need to talk about it.

Kristen Jenson, founder of Defend Young Minds and author of Good Pictures, Bad Pictures Guide for Girls, joins Justin to explain why girls need to be part of this conversation. They unpack accidental exposure, curiosity, body image, objectification and the shame that can stop girls from asking for help.

Most importantly, Kristen gives parents a simple way to prepare kids before pornography finds them: give them a definition, a warning and a plan.

KEY POINTS

• Why treating pornography as a boys-only problem leaves girls vulnerable
• How shame around girls’ curiosity can make the problem harder to talk about
• Why accidental exposure can happen before kids actively seek explicit content
• The impact pornography can have on girls’ body image and self-worth
• Why parental controls and filters can’t replace conversations
• Kristen’s simple three-part approach: a definition, a warning and a plan
• Why your reaction matters if your child tells you they’ve seen pornography
• How to start the conversation even if your child is already a teenager

QUOTE OF THE EPISODE

“It’s never too late to give your kids a defense.”
Kristen Jenson

RESOURCES MENTIONED

• Good Pictures, Bad Pictures Guide for Girls by Kristen Jenson
• Defend Young Minds
• Brain Defense Digital Safety Curriculum
• Common Sense Media’s Teens and Pornography report

ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS

• Have the conversation before your child gets their own internet-connected device.
• Give your child an age-appropriate definition of pornography so they can recognise it.
• Explain why pornography can be harmful without using fear or shame.
• Give them a clear plan for what to do if explicit content appears.
• Make sure they know they can tell you without automatically losing their device or getting into trouble.
• If your older child has already seen pornography, listen first. Make it a conversation, not a lecture.