The under-developed brains of our children are most at risk -- and they are, not coincidentally, right in the crosshairs of the smut peddlers. As shown by the numerous statistics listed on the outstanding Web site of “Enough is Enough” -- a group I had the privilege to help launch in 1994 -- teenagers are a key target of the porn industry.

Purveyors of porn and perversion know exactly how to prey on the raging hormones of our sons and daughters and lure them into a seedy, dark world. They are experts at manipulating young minds for money. If they can reel them in at a young age, they can cultivate customers for life.

The marketing effort to condemn our children to a life based on sexual fixation is so pervasive that I devote an entire chapter to the topic in my book, Home Invasion: Protecting Your Family in a Culture That’s Gone Stark Raving Mad. You must understand that the pornographers are after your children 24/7. Pornography is a $12 billion-a-year industry -- their goal is turn your kids into porn addicts. Period.

Most teenagers who are exposed to pornography don’t wind up on a police blotter, but they do suffer immense harm. Jill Manning, a former visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation, charted the cost in a paper she presented to a special U.S. Senate subcommittee. Her review of the peer-reviewed research reveals that children who consume pornography tend to:

• Develop tolerance toward sexually explicit material, thereby requiring more novel or bizarre material to achieve the same level of arousal or interest.
• Overestimate the prevalence of less common sexual practices (e.g., group sex, bestiality and sadomasochistic activity).
• Abandon the goal of sexual exclusivity with a partner.
• Perceive promiscuity as a normal state of interaction.
• Develop cynical attitudes about love.
• Believe that raising children and having a family is an unattractive prospect.
• Develop a negative body image, especially for women.

If you’re a parent, the best thing to do (besides, of course, avoiding pornography yourself) is protect your children and make sure they aren’t targeted by some pervert. These days, that task usually starts with the Internet -- how it’s accessed in your home, when and by whom. Your child doesn’t have to be a victim -- be pro-active and keep your home smut-free. “Enough is Enough” has some very useful information, as does Web Wise Kids. Their interactive programs make kids aware of the dangers that lurk on the Web so they can “make wise online choices.”