Consumption of Sexual Content_ The Impact on Personal Relations (13)

1 Consumption of Sexual Content: The Impact on Personal Relations Gulnoor Gill December 2022 Word Count: 1288

2 Despite the widely-held perception that viewing pornography is a solitary act, millions engage in this behaviour within the confines of their own homes. The proliferation of pornography has persistently impacted relationships, as its consumption can foster problematic attributes. Gary Gilles, a licensed clinical professional counsellor, in a study, concluded that pornography is prevalent among all sexes, with 40 million Americans visiting porn sites regularly, composing 13% nationwide (Gilles, 2015). The National Center for Biotechnology Information, an international resource for the scientific research community, claims that nearly 60% of college students and over 70% of US young adults between the ages of 18 and 30 admit to viewing pornography weekly (Dwulit, 2019). 63% of men between the ages of 18 and 30 watch pornography several times each week, compared to 21% of women between the ages of 18 and 30 (Dwulit, 2019). As a result of being tripled in viewership, men are more likely to negatively impact a relationship compared to women. This then appeals to the question, “What are the negative consequences of watching pornography on Marriage, Family, and the Broader Community? ” It is evident that pornography leads to decreased intimacy and communication within a relationship, negatively impacts an individual's family and contributes to harmful attitudes in the broader community. The Journal of Sex Research from the General Social Survey, a nationally representative survey of American adults, encountered that number of men who watch porn every week has increased by 12% since the 1970s (Leonhardt, 2018). The increased availability and accessibility of the Internet are factors that have contributed to the increase. Social perceptions of pornography also play a role as pornography is tolerated more widely in some countries than others (Camilleri, 2020). Additionally, the industry has become more sophisticated, with more production parties. IBIS, an establishment that provides comprehensive market research, remarked the revenue of the Adult & Pornographic Websites industry is $1.1bn (Industry Market Research, Reports, and Statistics, 2022). This growth in the porn industry has resulted in a likewise rise in consumers.

3 Researcher Patrick Fagan, PH.D. and Director of the Marriage and Religion Research Institute (MARRI) completed a major pornography study titled \"Quiet Family Killer.” Fagan’s study found that 56% of divorces consisted of one partner having an addictive porn addiction (Fagan, 2009). Later research by Wayne State University's professor, Steven Stack unveiled that one’s engagement in porn tripled the rate of marital infidelity. Another study at Wayne State University discovered a significant link between internet accessibility to pornography and sexually permissive mannerisms. According to Stack's research, persons who employ a prostitute engage in pornography 3.7 times more frequently than those who do not. (Stack, n.d.). Clinical psychologist, Doctor Robert Weiss conducted an interview with Alex Rhodes, a former pornography addict, who divulged the detrimental impact that his addiction had on his interpersonal relationships. Rhodes shares “Whenever I was old enough to enter into relationships and start engaging in sexual activity I realized that I conditioned my brain to prefer pixels over, you know, people and partners.\" This proves that his excessive exposure to pornography had resulted in a neural association that favoured virtual stimuli over physical intimacy with another person (Weiss, 2019). Researchers from NPR, a nonprofit media organization, share, “It creates unrealistic portraits in people's minds about how sexual relationships are supposed to function.” (Vedantam, 2017). Pornography misleads people about what a “normal body” looks like and what sexual behaviour is. The National Library of Medicine, the largest biomedical library, and Utah State University found that individuals who frequently watch pornography were more likely to report lower relationship satisfaction and poorer communication with their partner, due to distorted perceptions of sexual behaviour (Maas, 2018; Effects of Pornography on Relationships, 2021). For instance, unhealthy depictions of sex and relationships in pornography can cause excessive expectations and misunderstandings between partners. In a study on the impact of \"cybersex,\" researchers found that more than half of the participants had drastically decreased their interest in sexual activity, along with

4 a third of their partners and one-fifth of the couples. Only one-third of couples continued to be interested in sexual intimacy despite one partner engaging in \"cybersex,\" (Schneider, n.d.). Pornography has a detrimental effect on one's own views and can be especially dangerous if it contradicts one's culture or personal values. This can include opinions on one's looks, gender roles, sexual preferences, and what is appropriate behaviour in private. Using the notion of pornography addiction, the peer-reviewed academic journal Journal of Sex Research confirms the positive correlation with relationship anxiety (Leonhardt, 2018). This view was linked to higher levels of psychological discomfort as well as unfavourable outcomes like guilt, shame, less closeness and sexual satisfaction, and issues with communication and relationship trust. Exposure to pornography has also been linked to an increased likelihood of violent behaviour toward women (Leonhardt, 2018). This can negatively impact one’s marriage as skewed perspectives of relationships can manifest and lead to disrespectful or abusive behaviour. For instance, a pornography user that portrays women as objects for sexual pleasure may develop beliefs or reinforce attitudes such as female inferiority. These attitudes may be portrayed through one’s treatment of their romantic partners or loved ones. Similarly, an individual who consumes pornography that portrays aggressive or non-consensual sexual behaviour may believe that such behaviour is acceptable. Viewing of pornography has been linked to strained parent-child and sibling-sibling ties. Pornography viewership can strain due to trust issues, communication breakdown, different values, and an impact on children. A study by Child Abuse & Neglect has suggested: 2,880 youth who use the Internet and are between the ages of 10 and 16 were surveyed by The International Journal. The findings revealed that children encountered inappropriate sexual queries on the Internet and that 27% of children were exposed to sexual material messages that included images of nudity and sexual activity (Flander, 2009). Early exposure to pornography can have an impact on a child's behaviour, relationships with their family, and sense of self. Early exposure to pornography can also stunt a

5 child's mental development and cause issues like anxiety, hopelessness, and low self-esteem(Rostad, 2019). This highlights the importance of protecting children from such exposure and ensuring that they have a safe environment, as the 27% is extremely high. Depending on a community’s values and beliefs, pornography can have a wide range of consequences and lead to the objectification and exploitation of people. Negative gender stereotypes can normalize sexual assault and violence (Rostad, 2019). Different community members may disagree on its use and effects, which can cause conflict and societal strife. For instance, it can lead to a growth in employment and revenue, but it can also result in labour exploitation and the spread of immoral behaviours. Regarding the legal ramifications, there could be ethical and legal disputes because pornography is governed differently in various nations. While some may claim that pornography is acceptable free speech, others may claim that it has negative or improper impacts. Patrick F. Fagan shared that if pornography portrays women or marginalized groups in a demeaning manner, it surely contributes to a culture that tolerates such behaviour (Fagan, 2009). There are many strategies used to address the effects and settle dispute. Effective methods to combat the consequences of pornography include education and awareness campaigns that give accurate and age-appropriate information about healthy sexuality, consent, and relationships (Maas, 2018). The availability and dissemination of pornography can be restricted by laws and regulations, especially when it includes exploitation or abuse. Pornography consumption can contribute to distorted views of relationships and sexual behaviour and risks feelings of shame, isolation, and disconnection. Society must stop porn from impacting the relationships and attitudes individuals present to each other. To prevent the negative impact of pornography on one’s marriage, family, and community, it is important to establish healthy boundaries and open lines of communication with loved ones.

6 Works Cited Camilleri, Christina, et al. “Compulsive Internet Pornography Use and Mental Health: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Sample of University Students in the United States.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 14 Dec. 2020, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.613244/full. Dwulit, Aleksandra Diana, and Piotr Rzymski. “Prevalence, Patterns and Self-Perceived Effects of Pornography Consumption in Polish University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 27 May 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6571756/. “Effects of Pornography on Relationships.” USU, Utah State University , 17 May 2021, https://extension.usu.edu/relationships/research/effects-of-pornography-on-relationships# :~:text=Both%20user%20and%20partner%20experience,children's%20exposure%20to% 20pornographic%20materials. Fagan, Patrick F. “Research Synthesis the Effects of Pornography on Individuals, Marriage ...” Marriage and Religion Research Constitute , Dec. 2009, https://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF12D43.pdf. Flander, Gordana Buljan, et al. “Exposure of Children to Sexual Content on the Internet in Croatia.” Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal, Elsevier, 30 Nov. 2009, https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ863540. Gilles, Gary. “How Pornography Distorts Intimate Relationships.” MentalHelp.net, Mar. 2015, https://www.mentalhelp.net/blogs/how-pornography-distorts-intimate-relationships/#:~:te xt=Pornography%20creates%20unrealistic%20expectations%20about,sexual%20behavio r%20is%20really%20about.

7 Harvey, Penny. “Let's Talk about Porn: The Perceived Effect of Online Mainstream Pornography on LGBTQ Youth.” Semantic Scholar, 1 Jan. 2020, https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Let%E2%80%99s-Talk-About-Porn%3A-The-Per ceived-Effect-of-on-Harvey/5856ee05cc49b3cc8a85436f5cece616e92ef8fa. “Industry Market Research, Reports, and Statistics.” IBISWorld, IBISWorld , 18 June 2022, https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/market-size/adult-pornographic-websites-u nited-states/#:~:text=What%20is%20the%20market%20size,is%20%241.1bn%20in%202 023. Leonhardt , Nathan D, et al. “Damaged Goods: Perception of Pornography Addiction as a Mediator Between Religiosity and Relationship Anxiety Surrounding Pornography Use.” Journal of Sex Research, Vol. 55, No. 3, EBSCOhost, Mar. 2018, https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2017.1295013. Maas, Megan K, et al. “A Dyadic Approach to Pornography Use and Relationship Satisfaction among Heterosexual Couples: The Role of Pornography Acceptance and Anxious Attachment.” Journal of Sex Research, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2018, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6155976/. Rostad, Whitney L, et al. “The Association between Exposure to Violent Pornography and Teen Dating Violence in Grade 10 High School Students.” Archives of Sexual Behavior, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Oct. 2019, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6751001/. Schneider, Jennifer P. “Effects of Cybersex Addiction on the Family: Results of a Survey.” PsycNet, American Psychological Association, https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2000-03333-002. Stack, Steven. “Adult Social Bonds and Use of Internet Pornography - JSTOR.” JSTOR,

8 Research Gate, https://www.jstor.org/stable/42955928. Vedantam, Shankar. “Researchers Explore Pornography's Effect on Long-Term Relationships.” NPR, NPR, 9 Oct. 2017, https://www.npr.org/2017/10/09/556606108/research-explores-the-effect-pornography-ha s-on-long-term-relationships. Weiss, Robert. “Man Shares How a Porn Addiction Ruined His Relationships.” YouTube, The Doctors , 30 Oct. 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iADXjkens14.