Pornography may be defined as “the depiction of erotic behavior (sexual display in pictures or writing) that is intended to cause sexual excitement” in the viewer.(1)
Over the past decade there has been a large increase in the pornographic material that is available to both adults and children.
Mainstream pornography use has grown common because it is accessible, affordable, and anonymous. It is accessible because it is just a few keystrokes away on the Internet.
It is affordable because many online sites offer free pornography to lure viewers to their web sites. Other sites simply post third-party videos and do not charge the viewer for web traffic.
It is anonymous because it can be viewed in the privacy of a person’s home. There is no longer a need to visit an adult book store or the local XXX theatre.
While the exact amount of revenue that the pornography industry generates in this country is unclear, the Internet filtering service Covenant Eyes estimates the 2012 US revenue to be around US$8 billion.(2)
It is estimated that since 2007, revenue has declined by 50% (3), but this decline is likely due to the availability of more free online pornography and not to a total decline in pornography usage.
In 2008, the Internet and marketing firm Hitwise reported that globally 40,634 web sites distributed pornography.(4)
Who consumes pornography?
A 2014 Barna Group survey revealed the following demographic data regarding pornography use by American adults: (5) (See graphic in the article).
Demographic data is similar among younger age groups. A 2008 article in the Journal of Adolescent Research revealed that 67% of young men and 49% of young women found pornography acceptable.(6)
Pornography exposure for children and adolescents has become almost ubiquitous. In a 2010 survey of English students between 14 to 16 years old, almost one-third claimed that their first exposure to Internet pornography was at 10 years old or younger. (7)
In a 2011 survey, 31% of adolescent boys admitted visiting web sites that were intended as Adult Only.(8) Continue reading
Sources
- MercatorNet, from an article by L. David Perry MD FCP, a practicing pediatrician in Knoxville, Tennessee.
- Image: Women of Grace
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