Why
are so many adults and children getting hooked on
pornography? In The Bahamas, the Caribbean, and around the
world more and more students from the primary to
secondary
schools are watching pornography on their hand-held devices
and television. More and more homes, where young minds are
being nurtured, are actually pornography theaters. I wonder
if parents understand what pornography is all about and why,
from a business perspective, it is so successful. Al Haffner in his book “The High Cost of Free Love” states that
“Pornography is the third highest profit enterprise of the
mafia, after gambling and narcotics, with roughly 90 percent
of all pornography being produced and distributed by
organized crime.”
Here some world-wide findings about pornography sited in the
February 2023 article “Recent Pornography Statistics and Why
They Are Important” by Barb Winters:
-
“Most teens (73%) reported that they have consumed
pornography.” The average age of first exposure was
12, with 15% saying they had first seen porn at age
10 or younger.
-
“Just under half of all teens (44%) indicated that
they had done so intentionally, while slightly more
than half (58%) indicated they had encountered
pornography accidentally.” 29% reported both
intentional and accidental viewing.
-
Of
those reporting accidental exposure, 63% indicated
they had been exposed in the past week, “which could
indicate that unintentional pornography exposure was
a common experience for respondents.”
-
Reported rates of exposure were similar across
demographics, but there was a “significant
difference by gender in terms of intentional
consumption.”
-
“Rates of intentional pornography consumption were
also higher among respondents who are LGBTQ+ (66%),
including transgender and nonbinary respondents
(66%).”
-
“There was tension between respondents’ enjoyment of
pornography and their feelings of guilt associated
with consuming it.” Most felt “OK” about the amount
of pornography they watched, but “half reported
feeling guilty or ashamed after watching.”
-
“Teens indicated that they were learning about sex
from the pornography they consume.”
“A majority of teens who indicated they have
viewed pornography have been exposed to aggressive
and/or violent forms of pornography.”
-
“Exposure to racial and ethnic stereotypes in
pornography was also common.”
Most teens have discussed sex-related issues
with trusted adults, “but less than half (43%) have
discussed pornography.”
The findings are startling. We can see why so many of our
young people are being trapped into a maze of sexually
charged material often, at first, not aware of the
intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual dangers. Al
Haffner points out that “Many studies show that repeated
exposure to pornography, whether simple and soft or hard and
perverse, leads to alterations in attitudes, appetites, and
even behavior.”
Exposure to pornography causes men to devalue their wives or
other women as mere sexual beings–using women to gratify
their own perverted desires. Pornography has also impacted
our view of manhood and masculinity. David Feddes in his
article, “The Pornography Trap,” states: “Pornography
provides false manhood to men who are starving to be
masculine. If a woman, or lots of women, is willing to get
naked just for you, you must be a man!”
Here's another quote from Science Focus magazine, 2023: “Men
who use pornography have lower levels of sexual and
relationship satisfaction. Women whose male partners use
pornography report reduced intimacy, self-objectification
and bodily shame, and sexual coercion. Third, pornography
teaches sexually aggressive attitudes and behaviors.”
Researchers of pornography are further saying that “Internet
pornography is the new crack cocaine, leading to addiction,
misogyny, pedophilia, boob jobs and erectile dysfunction,
according to clinicians and researchers.” "According to Dr
Judith Reisman, pornography affects the physical structure
of your brain turning you into a porno-zombie. Porn, she
says, is an "erototoxin", producing an addictive "drug
cocktail" of testosterone, oxytocin, dopamine and serotonin
with a measurable organic effect on the brain."
As far back as fifteen years ago research was reported on
MSNBC that at least 90 percent of first-time sexual
experiences by teenagers were done right in parents’ homes.
Similarly, places we consider sacred and protected spaces
are virtually open territory for viewing pornography. The
saddest truth is that parents or guardians are the ones who
are watching the porn in the homes and doing it so openly
that the little ones are watching too.
A father stayed up late one night to watch hard core sex on
a pay-per-view channel. Deep into the night, while his
entire family was asleep, he too fell asleep in front of the
television leaving the television screen flashing its images
through the darkness. His five-year-old son was awakened
around 2 am, having been attracted by the flashing lights
and came and sat beside his sleeping dad and stayed there
watching the hard-core sex for more than two hours. Around
4 a.m. the mother was also awakened by the lights in the TV
room. What a shock she had when she saw her five-year-old
innocent son watching with wide-eyes, sex on television,
while his father was in a deep, deep, sleep! What was he
learning? Did it affect his mind?
The earlier our children are introduced to pornography, the
greater is the damage to their future lives. “According to
one study, early exposure (under fourteen years of age) to
pornography is related to greater involvement in deviant
sexual practice, particularly rape.” Pornographic photos
seen very early in life introduces concept of communication
and expression long before a child is able to articulate
feelings effectively. Thus, sex becomes an easy medium of
expression and the risk of addiction even greater.
Adults become addicted also because pornography gives one a
feeling of euphoria and the photos are embedded in the mind
and make one want to return over and over to obtain the same
pleasurable feelings again, just like drugs.
Barrington H. Brennen is a marriage and family therapist. Send
your questions for comments to P.O. Box CB-11045, Nassau,
The Bahamas. Or call 242-327 1980, or email
barringtonbrennen@gmail.com or visit the website www.soencouragement.org
