Do you think watching horror films infront of children is the as bad as watching explicit films? [edited by MNHQ]

[HowlingTrap]

Sorry the title is very emotive, I ran out of room to explain it properly.

its something that has always bothered, especially that its something that since i was a young child I know has gone one within society, people seeing nothing wrong in watching horror films in front of young children.
i have been around people who have almost done this infront of my children, switching on a horror film with children in the room and looked at me like I was mad when I went crazy at the thought. It's scary how prevalent it is and has been for many generations.
I actually said once "would you watch porn infront of a child' and they all replied with a chorus of 'of course not !"
Aibu to think theres not a huge amount of difference? its both 18 rated material for a reason?

I started watching horror films around 9 or 10 - the old, black and white, Bella Lugosi/Boris Karloff/Lon Chaney Jr ones. I can distinctly remember watching The Wolfman and being transfixed by it - still one of my favourite films today.

DD went to a Halloween sleepover (she's 12) and they watched a horror then, quite a tame one from what she's told me. She scares really easily and slept in my bed for two nights after! When I got there to pick her up, there were just starting a second film (very recent, extremely scary), that I hadn't agreed to, so I did judge on that but didn't say anything as we were leaving anyway.

I think the problem with a lot of modern stuff is the constant boundary testing and pushing. Things like Saw and Hostel are extremely gory and nasty and definitely not for children, hence the 18 certificates. Things like Insidious and Sinister both have 15 certificates, but they scared the living shit out of me - not for kids.

But to compare watching horror films in front of kids to paedophilia is just plain wrong. The two are in no way comparable at all

Darn, I think Rhonda explained what I mean a little more clearly than I did!

Yes it is wrong to have on a scary horror film or thriller in front of children.

They are two completely different things op. Its a huge jump to try and compare the two and say they are similar.

But I wouldn't show my young dc horror films anyway. Because its a stupid thing to do.

You apologise for such an emotive title - so why not use a less emotive title that would be more sensitive? You wanted the sensationalism, that's why. Not sure what you're trying to achieve other than winding people up or upsetting them. I'm disappointed in myself that I rose to your bait.

As a survivor of serious child sexual abuse I find your comparison of the two to be abhorrent. In my opinion, both are wrong but they are clearly VERY different things.

It's unacceptable to watch horror films in front if kids - it is not even nearly comparable to what paedophiles do though. Yabvu.

What an absolute insult this thread is to abused children!

What a stupid comparison to make. Makes me wonder how your mind functions to even relate the two .

Akin to a paedophile? Is all your reasoning so skewed? People who let children watch horror films are people who let children watch horror films - I don't believe that's a pre-requisite for being a paedophile.

I watched horror films as a child. I was forced to watch pornographic films as a child. Let me assure you, OP, that the effects of the two were in no way comparable.

I would not watch porn with my sister, aunt, uncle, cousin twice remove ( you get the drift) I would watch a horror with them. So the 2 are not comparable.

I would let DS aged 7 watch a mild horror. Like the Gremlins.

You cannot compare the two at all!!! Nor would watching porn infront of a child necessarily equate to paedophilia -serious stupidity yes!

I don't agree with watching horrors infront of kids,I would never allow one to be viewed infront of my son and have many times paused the sky box and put the tv on standby when he's come downstairs at night and I'm watching one.

I was brought up watching horrors from a young age though and still love them now

Horror movies with the kids? Needs judgment. Some horror movies are good for kids: they show littl'uns, who already KNOW there are monsters, that monsters can be fought and defeated. And sometimes that monsters are only that way because we're awful to them. (And, in the case of my youngest, DD, because she loved trying to figure out how the effects were done. Had a HELL of an eye for CGI and there were some fine teaching moments as she theorised. Also, she wanted to be a werewolf when she grew up, so we watched a fair few of those. "But I won't eat people, I'll eat sheep and chickens which is like being a vegetarian for a werewolf."

I was sneaking Steven King books off my parents' book cases when I was eight years old. Does that mean they're pedos too?

What do you class as horror?
Scooby Doo is essentially horror.
Dr Who is often seen as scary.
Hammer house of horror was seen as a right of passage when I was growing up.
There is some nasty stuff in Buffy and Angel. (Including gore)
what about Psychological thrillers? do we include Morse? Sherlock? Mid-summer murders.
NCIS has some fairly gruesome scenes showing dead bodies, etc.
Didn't Downton Abbey include a rape?

18+ material , I'm talking younger than primary school age.

I explained what i meant in the opening post if someone watched porn infront of a child it would a very black and white 'child abuse' reaction but for some reason graphic horror seems to be a little bit more ambiguous, people aren't as quick to run and report it are the but both tramatize and desensitize.

Also notorious child murderers without exception were all shown graphic violence (islington boys snuff films:O) as children.

I QUITE CLEARLY EXPLAINED WHAT I MEANT , I RAN OUT OF TITLE SPACE.
I MEAN IS SOMEONE WHO WATCHES 18 HORROR INDEED NOT AS BAD AS SOMEONE WHO WATCHES PORN IN
FRONT OF CHILDREN?

SORRY FOR ANY OFFENCE , ALTHOUGH THIS IS LIKE THE 4TH TIME I HAVE EXPLAINED WHAT I MEANT, IF WHAT I WROTE WAS NOT CLEAR THEN I APOLOGISE,ALL ABUSIVE POSTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED.

I think I can see what you're getting at, OP. But they aren't really comparable. Horror is potentially damaging to children, depending on the child, the age, & the content, & other factors. What you've compared it to, there really aren't any circumstances where a child wouldn't be damaged by that. Many posters on this thread have said they watched horror as a child & suffered no ill effects. Sorry, YABU.

no, don't be so ridiculous and insulting to the victims. Idiots yes, absolutely. Emotionally and mentally abusive, possibly.

this really get your title changed it is a very different thing that you are meaning, FWIW showing children over rated films is against the law and can be in some circumstances with other factors be a child protection issue

FGS

People who watch graphic horror fils infront of children ARE childabusers most definitely and enjoy how frightened the kids get , another poster upthread said a babysitter did this.

I was talking about actually sex with children i made that very, very, clear. there is really no excuse for some of the replies on here.

Then you should have reported your own thread and not throw your toys out now you're pissed off.

You've been told you're unreasonable, where's the abuse?

how do i get my title changed ?

Op - why don't you go and read a book or something...