Sexologists debate about the harm or benefit of porn
The controversy surrounding pornography continues. Critics of porn claim that, thanks to the Internet, “shameless” films have become too easily accessible and have a detrimental effect not only on the human psyche, but also causes social harm. Supporters talk about the benefits of such video material for numerous singles and support for people with sexual disorders. Contents of the article
criticism
Well-known American sexologist and psychotherapist Wendy Maltz, in her 2008 textbook Porn Trap, outlined the negative effects pornography has on relationships and sexuality. She stated that addiction to porn videos is unsafe and is a factor in divorce and sexual irresponsibility. Proponents of such a theory often quote Maltz, citing her arguments in articles. A staunch critic of pornography and an academic expert on sexual violence against women in the US, Professor Diana Russell, believes that “porn disrupts men”s inertia, spurring them on to rape.”
American writer and radical feminist Andrea Dworkin was probably the most popular pornography hater. She occasionally argued quite aggressively that “porn portrays a woman as a man’s toy, inciting rape and other types of violence directed at women.” Robert Jensen, her supporter and student, reports: “Pornography in itself does not make a man a rapist, but it can activate his tendencies towards forced sex.” The publications of these famous people have become significant sources of information for publications about the cause-and-effect relationship between pornography and sexual violence and its harm.
facts
Until the end of the 1990s, porn was sold exclusively by specialized outlets; you had to pay for videotapes, and they were unattainable for minors. However, since the beginning of 2000, free pornography blew up the World Wide Web and began to penetrate absolutely all users’ homes. With all this, can it be classified as a significant factor causing social harm? Statistics from the United States of America has studied the numerical indicators of some social phenomena on which porn, since its widespread availability on the Internet, has had the potential to have an adverse effect. Oddly enough, the end results were polar.
- Compared to 1990, sexual responsibility has increased, as evidenced by a 41% decrease in the abortion rate and a 51% decrease in the incidence of STIs.
- Over the past 25 years, sexual activity among minors has decreased by 7%, and the birth rate has dropped by 33%. Among other things, young people began to use condoms 16% more often on average.
- The divorce rate dropped by 23% over the same period.
- Since 1995, the rate of sexual violence has decreased by 44%.
Therefore, as porn has become more and more popular, certain social problems have dried up? It is impossible to say for sure whether Internet pornography is involved in this, but it definitely increases the percentage of masturbation, keeping a large number of citizens in front of screens, who may well reveal sexual irresponsibility or crime in the real world.
controversy
One should not talk about the complete harmlessness of porn. Some men watch it in such excess that it ultimately begins to interfere with their well-being. In order to overcome addiction, such individuals need the help of a psychologist, although it is unclear how they would perform without porn; they may otherwise need a psychiatrist as a result.
The characteristics of madness are also demonstrated by some women who catch their husbands watching “dirty” videos. These women also need therapy; with hysterical scandals they endanger their marriage, and in some cases even go as far as divorce. Men are advised to “blow off steam”, and their sweet halves are sometimes in no hurry to “open the valve”; it is not in vain that they say: “Porn is better than “nothing”. And naturally, it will be a big misconception to perceive pornography as a method of intimate training or a prototype for real sex. Life and video are unequal things. However, despite the harm that people do to themselves by overusing adult videos, evidence suggests that porn does not create an outbreak of rape, STIs or sexual irresponsibility, does not increase the teen birth rate, and does not have an effect on early sex. And who knows, the time will probably come when trained professionals will recommend porn as a therapy to clients with psychological tendencies to violence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgovhH2_rOc
