3 March 2026
At LMK, we believe that giving young people the knowledge, skills, confidence, and language to navigate relationships safely is one of the most powerful ways to prevent harm before it happens.
That’s why we’re proud to be working with the Talking Taboos Foundation on their latest research, Today’s Taboos 2026, published last week. This year’s findings focus on two urgent and deeply complex topics:
- Addiction to pornography
- Sexual assault by someone known to the victim
While this research focuses on the 18–44 age group, and LMK works with young people aged 10–24, we see first hand in our workshops that these experiences are mirrored in young people at a much earlier age. The challenges identified in the report are the very same realities our workshop participants are navigating every day; by addressing these taboos early, we can help young people understand healthy and unhealthy behaviours when they first encounter them.
What this means for young people
When pornography acts as a primary “informal” education, young people can develop unrealistic or harmful views about consent and communication. Pornography has become so normalised that many young people feel they are expected to understand and accept it, yet very few are given the space to talk honestly about how it makes them feel or where it sets unrealistic expectations.
Silence around pornography doesn’t protect young people; it isolates them. Giving them the language, agency, and space to reflect is key to preventing harm and supporting them to critically navigate what they are seeing. This is exactly why we developed our Impact of Pornography workshop – to provide a safe, non-judgemental, space where young people can deconstruct these messages and focus on healthy, real-world boundaries.
Breaking the cycle of silence
A consistent theme throughout the Talking Taboo research is the heavy weight of silence:
- 1 in 4 18–44 year olds do not feel comfortable talking to anyone about porn addiction.*
- 1 in 2 18–34 year olds do not feel comfortable being part of a conversation about a sexual assault by someone they know.*
Shame, fear of judgement, and uncertainty about how to start conversations mean that many are left to process these experiences alone. At LMK, we provide the tools to talk about these issues at a younger age, empowering young people to break the silence before it becomes a lifelong barrier.
Looking ahead
The findings from Today’s Taboos 2026 are a powerful reminder that we must move beyond awareness towards practical, everyday support. By connecting this research with our frontline work, we ensure that the real-world experiences of young people continue to shape the national conversation.
We are incredibly grateful to the Talking Taboos Foundation for their vital research and dedication to these difficult conversations. Collaboration is at the heart of LMK’s mission and by working together, we can equip young people with the language and confidence they need to build safe, healthy relationships that they can carry into their adult lives.
*Talking Taboos Foundation (2026) Taboos Report 2026: Breaking the Silence on Modern Harm.