Read our report detailing peer reviewed research regarding the health harms of pornography
Read The ReportEarly Exposure
Exposure Age
the average age of first exposure to pornography.
violent pornography
the percentage of young people who have seen violent pornography before the age of 18.
Youth Sexual Assault
children referred to a Sexual Assault Referral Centre exhibit behaviours associated with violent pornography, including choking, slapping, name-calling, anal penetration, and the use of objects.
Youth Exposure
Adults who consume both adult and deviant pornography started consuming pornography at a significantly younger age compared with adults who consume adult-only pornography.
Child-on-child sexual assault
pornography is an aggravating factor in child-on-child sexual assault for both adolescents and younger children.
Child Sexual Abuse Material
early exposure to pornography is a commonly reported experience among people who go on to view child sexual abuse material.
MENTAL HEALTH HARMS
Problematic Porn Use
the percentage of men who believe they have a problematic use of pornography.
Depression
among people experiencing loneliness and depression, higher levels of pornography consumption are associated with greater levels of depression.
Suicidal Ideation
there is a significant association between problematic pornography use and suicidal ideation, particularly among women.
Poor Emotional Regulation
research shows a clear link between problematic pornography use and emotional regulation difficulties. Having a strong sense of being lonely increases self-defined problematic pornography use.
Sleep Deprivation
people who self-identify as being addicted to porn are more likely to suffer from low moods and decreased productivity due to sleep deprivation caused by their addiction.
Empathy
men who watch violent pornography have lower levels of empathy and are more likely to accept violence against women, compared with men who watch other types of pornography.
Negative emotions
men who self-identify as ‘addicts’ state that pornography fuels negative emotions and symptoms of anxiety, psychological distress, depression and sleep deprivation.
Loneliness
individuals experiencing loneliness are more likely to develop problematic pornography use as a consequence of difficulty in regulating emotions.
ADDICTION RISK & Neurological Effects
Inability To Stop
the percentage of young adults that continue to access pornographic websites despite the intention to stop.
Lost Time
the amount of time men suffering from compulsive sexual behaviour disorder spend watching pornography a week on average.
Withdrawal
the percentage of therapists and clients who say that withdrawal is an important feature of internet problematic sexual behaviour.
Brain Changes
higher frequency porn users have differences in brain areas involved in reward and self-control, including less grey matter and weaker connections between these regions.
Addiction Criteria
there is a high prevalence of DSM-5 diagnostic criteria among subjects with Compulsive Sexual Behaviour Disorder particularly craving, loss of control over sex use and negative consequences related to sexual behaviour.
Increased Sexual Risk taking
Self Generated Images & Sexting
the percentage of adolescent males (58%) (adolescent females (39%)) who engage with some type of risky sexual behaviour online such as sexting or sharing self-generated sexual-images.
Violent Pornography Influencing Sexual Scripts
the percentage of women (and men: 47%) who consume violent pornography and agree to a sexual practice that they don't want. This percentage is lower for women and men who don't consume violent pornography.
Casual Sex
recent pornography use is more likely to result in casual sex without a condom, including unprotected anal intercourse, as well as a higher number of sexual partners.
Substance Use
use of substances and pornography increases the likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behaviours.
Anal Sex
the increasing normalisation of anal sex within pornography and mainstream culture is leading to an increase in incontinence, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), pain and bleeding amongst women.
ErecTile Dysfunction
early onset
the percentage of men who first masturbated to online pornography before the age of 10 that go on to develop erectile dysfunction. Erectile dysfunction risk increases the younger men first masturbate to online pornography.
Escalation To Maintain Arousal
the percentage of men addicted to pornography who need to watch more extreme porn to be sexually aroused.
Sexual Dysfunction
nearly half of men seeking help for Problematic Pornography Use struggle to become sexually aroused with a partner, yet only 10% of the same sample struggle to become aroused with pornography.
Frequency of use
the level of porn consumption linked to dissatisfaction with the quantity and quality of sex, as well as lack of arousal and erection problems during sex among men.
