Pornography opponent Morality in Media says children are encountering pornography on the Internet at alarming rate — with their average first exposure coming at age 11.

MIM’s four-week “Be Aware: Porn Harms” National Awareness Campaign enters its second week on July 18th.

Dawn Hawkins, MIM’s Executive Director and director of the campaign, said pornography’s consequences for children and their abusers rank among “the most disturbing aspects” of material that is usually deemed harmless.

“Many child pornographers start with an interest in soft-core adult pornography, but over time turn to harder, more deviant porn and this leads the way to child pornography and molestation,” said Hawkins.

The campaign also highlights the modern parent’s struggle against a more imminent threat, as children today stumble upon obscene material on the Internet at an alarming rate.

“Many children are getting addicted to pornography because U.S. pornographers are providing free, obscene, illegal porn to kids online,” said MIM President Patrick Trueman.

Trueman noted that 11 years old is the average age of a child’s first exposure to pornography, “and for many it is earlier.”

“Sadly,” he noted, “U. S. Attorney General Eric Holder refuses to enforce federal obscenity laws which would protect children.”

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