Facts About Porn
Is Porn Really Private?
You may think that your porn consumption doesn't affect anyone else. But evidence shows that the porn industry profits at the expense of vulnerable women.
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The Internet Watch Foundation found over 100 videos of child abuse on Pornhub in 2017-2019. In 2020, Visa, Mastercard and Discover cut ties with Pornhub after child abuse was again found on the site. Though Pornhub announced in response to the discovery of child abuse on the site that only "verified users" would be able to upload content, the measure fails to protect victims of sex abuse as a "verified user" uploaded 58 videos of a trafficked 15 year-old girl to the site. Pornhub has also repeatedly blocked victims on social media after they asked the site to take down content featuring their abuse.
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Porn actresses have a 70% rate of PTSD, equal to Vietnam veterans' rate of PTSD. In only three months, five porn actresses died from suicides, drug overdoses, and infections. Many porn actresses report being raped on set, and having their contracts purposely violated. More than a dozen of porn performers under the age of 55, male and female, died in 2013 alone.
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According to this study, "exposure to violent pornography were significantly associated with greater odds of sexual TDV (teen dating violence) perpetration." Research found that people who consumed violent pornography were 6 times more likely to report sexually aggressive behavior. According to the Michigan State Police Department, 41% of sexual crimes in the state involved the use or imitation of pornography.
Is Porn Really Worth It?
According to science, porn could be undermining your happiness in a variety of ways. Is consuming porn worth the cost?
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According to this study, women who consume pornography are more likely to have extramarital affairs , engage in paid sex, and to have multiple sex partners. Extramarital affairs often lead to the cheated on partners developing PTSD symptoms and women with multiple sex partners are more likely to have STDs and cervical cancer.
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Pornography consumption is linked to a higher risk of depression, loneliness, and overall poor mental health. This 2019 study found that frequent pornography consumption is connected to a greater risk of depression. One study found, “significant and positive associations between pornography use and loneliness,” while this study reported that, “pornography use is related to reports of more negative affect, poor mental health and lower quality of life among adults as well as lower life-satisfaction and self-esteem, and more symptoms of depression among adolescents.”
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Women who frequently consume porn are more likely to feel insecure about their appearance and sexual performance. This study found that when a woman's partner consumed porn, she was more likely to experience body shame, relationship anxiety and symptoms of an eating disorder. Also, this study found a link between porn consumption and a person's dissatisfaction with her partner's appearance, affection and sexual performance. It's no surprise then, that the divorce risk for porn consumers is twice that of non-consumers.