BACKGROUND
Due to the religious proscription, it was found that Arab youths acquire information and view pornography secretly. The internet exposes them to contents that contradict religious and cultural taboos. There are few studies about viewing habits of sexual contents among Arab adolescents and about the way they discuss sexuality.
OBJECTIVE
to characterize the barriers and difficulties that prevent sexual discourse in Arab society and enable pornography viewing, according to the perceptions of adolescents and mothers.
METHODS
phenomological qualitative research methods, in-depth interviews with 40 participants. 20 Arab adolescents, sampled by two age groups: 14-16 and 16-18. In addition, 20 mothers of adolescents from both sexes were interviewed.
RESULTS
The findings indicate that mothers “turn a blind eye” to porn viewing and sexual activity by boys, versus a sweeping prohibition and denial of such behavior by girls. The boys reported viewing porn routinely, whereas girls denied doing so, but admitted that their girlfriends watched porn. The study also found that the boys have guilt feelings during and after the viewing as a result of the clash between modernity and traditional values.
CONCLUSIONS
It is necessary to find a way to encourage a significant sexual discourse to prevent the violent consequences of its absence in Arab society. A controlled, transparent and critical sexual discourse could help youth make more informed decisions concerning the search for sexual contents, porn viewing and sexual behavior.
Non-Contact Internet Sex Crimes against Minors: A Review through Comparative Law
