A new study conducted by Psychologies magazine has found that one in three kids have seen porn on the internet before they are 10 years old.

Eight in 10 children between the ages of 14 and 16 admitted to viewing porn online at home, due to lack of parental controls on the computer or being tech-savvy enough to bypass the restrictions.

However, 70% of British teens report that they haven’t been physically intimate with someone, so are viewing explicit and often violent pornographic content well before it comes to the real thing.

Experts warn that this makes individuals more likely to have relationship problems in the future and more worryingly, commit rape.

Sociologist Michael Flood commented, “there is compelling evidence that pornography has negative effects on individuals and communities. Porn shows sex in unrealistic ways and fails to address intimacy, love, connection or romance. It doesn’t mean every young person is going out to rape somebody but it increases the likelihood.”

Two in three teens report that they can easily access porn using the internet on their mobile phones.

Talking to children about what they look at online is important in helping to protect them. Make sure kids aren’t allowed to access the internet in the privacy of their bedrooms – keep the family computer in a public place where you can check what they are up to. Installing parental control software will also help to block sites with pornographic content, to help protect children online even when you’re back is turned.