Detrimental Effects of Pornography on Society Pornography

Detrimental Effects of Pornography on Society

Pornography is defined as written, graphic, or other forms of communication intended to excite lascivious feelings. However, this definition is very subjective as a person must decide what is considered pornographic to themselves. The issue of the benefits and disadvantages of pornography is hotly debated. Advocates of the pornography industry claim that pornography is educational and may enhance one's sexual relations. However, this argument is severely flawed for a multitude of reasons. This report will discuss why pornography is detrimental to individuals at an emotional and physical level as well as to our society as a whole.

Viewing pornography can become strongly addicting because it provides a very powerful sexual desire that is typically followed by sexual release, most often through masturbation. The use of pornography by its very nature isolates individuals, which makes them more intent on satisfying selfish needs. Often, viewers tend to act out the sexual behaviors viewed in the pornography, including compulsive promiscuity, exhibitionism, sex with minor children, rape, and inflicting pain on themselves or a partner during sex. This behavior may grow into sexual addiction, which many find is extremely difficult to stop despite the negative consequences resulting from this habit (Bergner).

Another problem with pornography is its ability to control the user. It is difficult for non-addicts to comprehend the driven nature of a sex addict, which may often ruin their lives. Although controversial, some evidence exists that indicates violent behaviors may result from those who are vulnerable to pornography. Pornography often plays a major role in sexual offences. Experts estimate that as many as one in three girls and one in seven boys will be sexually molested before age eighteen. Furthermore, although pornography plays an unclear role in the commission of sex crimes, when pornography is used in these crimes, the victims are primarily children (Langevin and Curnoe). In the United States, pornography is the third largest money-maker for organized crime after drugs and gambling, yielding $8-10 billion per year. About 80% of serial killers surveyed said that hard-core pornography was their greatest sexual interest. Also, 57% of serial rapists studied admitted to imitating scenes found in pornography. A Michigan state police study of 38,000 rapes concluded that pornography was used prior to or during the commission of the rape in 41% of all sexual assault cases. Factors that are related to the development of deviant sexual preferences are a sexually inappropriate family environment, use of pornography during childhood and adolescence, and deviant sexual fantasies during childhood and adolescence (Beauregard, Lussier and Proulx).

Some advocates of pornography industries say that viewing pornography would help to improve their sex lives. However, research proves that pornography can cause disturbance in family life and decrease sexual satisfaction within marriage. In fact, viewing pornography typically intensifies the "rape myth," that most women enjoy having sex forced upon them, and men are more inclined to act out their fantasies.

The women who "perform" in hard-core pornography are victims; many are teen-age runaways, drug abusers, and victims of sexual molestation. Reflecting the pathological side of human natures, hardcore pornography features sadomasochism, incest, bestiality, group sex, bisexuality, necrophilia and other aberrations. The Attorney General's Commission on Pornography reported on American males and females of high school age and above who were interviewed about their "out of real life involvement with pornography." The study showed that 91% of males and 82% of females admitted to having been exposed to hard-core pornography. About half of college students receive unwanted pornography via email (Finn). Two-thirds of the males and 40% of the females report wanting to try out some of the behaviors they had witnessed. And, among high school students, 31% of males and 18% of the females admitted doing some of the sexual acts they had seen in the pornography within a few days after exposure. Tyden and colleagues reported that 53% of a sample of 300 young men said that pornography impacted their sexual behavior (Tyden and Rogala). This clearly suggests the "modeling-affect or imitative-learning affect, as well as triggering affect, that pornography has on human sexual behavior in some individuals.

Several symptoms, collectively described as pervasive disorder, have been linked to consumption of soft-core pornography. These symptoms include:

Voyeurism: This is an obsession with looking at women rather than interacting with them. Glorification and objection of women's bodies promotes unreal images of women, distorts physical reality, creates on obsession with visual stimulation and trivializes other mature features of a healthy relationship.

Objectification: This is an attitude that women are objects rated by size, shape and harmony of body parts. Most experts agree that if one spends most of his/her emotional energy on sexual fantasies about inaccessible people, the person will frequently show no interest in intimate emotional and sexual moments with their partner.

Validation: This is the need to validate masculinity through beautiful women. Women who are viewed as sexually attractive only retain this label as long as they retain physical beauty and their leverage of mystery and unavailability.