Fast Facts

(Protect Children, 2024; Nurmi et al., 2024)

According to a survey of anonymous child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenders on the dark web, over half report they were first exposed to sexual abuse material of children accidentally, and up to two-thirds were first exposed as children.

Citations

Protect Children. (n.d.). Project 2KNOW final report. https://www.suojellaanlapsia.fi/en/post/2know-final-report
Nurmi, J., Paju, A., Brumley, B. B., Insoll, T., Ovaska, A. K., Soloveva, V., Vaaranen-Valkonen, N., Aaltonen, M., & Arroyo, D. (2024). Investigating child sexual abuse material availability, searches, and users on the anonymous Tor network for a public health intervention strategy. Scientific Reports, 14(1), Article 7849. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-58346-7

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(Bridges, Wosnitzer, Scharrer, Sun, & Liberman, 2010)

Nearly half of porn scenes (48.7%) contained verbal aggression, according to a study of popular porn videos.

Citations

Bridges, A. J., Wosnitzer, R., Scharrer, E., Sun, C., & Liberman, R. (2010). Aggression and sexual behavior in best-selling pornography videos: a content analysis update. Violence against women, 16(10), 1065–1085. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801210382866

How Porn Can Promote Sexual Violence

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(Davis, Carrotte, Hellard, & Lim, 2018)

A 2018 study found that an estimated 1 in 3 young Australians reported being repeatedly exposed to violent depictions of sex in porn within the last year of their lives.

Citations

Davis, A. C., Carrotte, E. R., Hellard, M. E., & Lim, M. S. C. (2018). What behaviors do young heterosexual Australians see in pornography? A cross-sectional study. 55(3), 310-319. doi:10.1080/00224499.2017.1417350

How Porn Can Promote Sexual Violence

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(Foubert & Bridges, 2017; Foubert, Brosi, & Bannon, 2011)

Research suggests that frequent porn consumers are less likely to intervene during a sexual assault.

Citations

Foubert, J. D., & Bridges, A. J. (2017). What Is the Attraction? Pornography Use Motives in Relation to Bystander Intervention. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 32(20), 3071–3089. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260515596538
Foubert, J. D., Brosi, M. W., & Bannon, R. S. (2011). Pornography viewing among fraternity men: Effects on bystander intervention, rape myth acceptance and behavioral intent to commit sexual assault.18(4), 212-231. doi:10.1080/10720162.2011.625552

How Porn Can Promote Sexual Violence

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(Bridges, Wosnitzer, Scharrer, Sun, & Liberman, 2010)

Researchers have found that approximately 95% of the targets of violence or aggression in porn appeared either neutral to the abuse, or were depicted as responding with pleasure.

Citations

Bridges, A. J., Wosnitzer, R., Scharrer, E., Sun, C., & Liberman, R. (2010). Aggression and sexual behavior in best-selling pornography videos: a content analysis update. Violence against women, 16(10), 1065–1085. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077801210382866

How Porn Can Promote Sexual Violence

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(Donevan, Jonsson, & Svedin, 2025)

According to a study that interviewed former porn performers, nearly all participants had experienced sexual abuse (88%), psychological abuse (90%), and physical abuse (79%) as children.

Citations

Donevan, M., Jonsson, L. S., & Svedin, C. G. (2025). The experience of individuals filmed for pornography production: A history of continuous polyvictimization and ongoing mental health challenges. Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, 79(2), 156–165. https://doi.org/10.1080/08039488.2025.2464634

How Porn Can Promote Sexual Violence

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(Rothman, Kaczmarsky, Burke, Jansen, & Baughman, 2015)

Findings of a qualitative study indicated that teens often reported trying to copy porn in their own sexual encounters, and that the pressure to imitate porn was often an aspect of unhealthy relationships.

Citations

Rothman, E. F., Kaczmarsky, C., Burke, N., Jansen, E., & Baughman, A. (2015). 'Without Porn … I Wouldn't Know Half the Things I Know Now': A Qualitative Study of Pornography Use Among a Sample of Urban, Low-Income, Black and Hispanic Youth. Journal of sex research, 52(7), 736–746. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2014.960908

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(Children's Commissioner for England, 2023)

According to one study, 79% of 18-21-year-olds had seen content involving sexual violence as a minor.

Citations

Children’s Commissioner for England. (2023). A lot of it is actually just abuse: Young people and pornography. Retrieved from https://assets.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wpuploads/2023/02/cc-a-lot-of-it-is-actually-just-abuse-young-people-and-pornography-updated.pdf

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(Feehs & Wheeler, 2021)

According to a report of prosecuted sex trafficking cases in the U.S., the majority of coercive tactics used by traffickers (59%) were non-physical, compared to 41% of tactics involving physical coercion.

Citations

Feehs, K., & Wheeler, A. C. (2021). 2020 federal human trafficking report. Human Trafficking Institute. Retrieved from https://www.traffickinginstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/2020-Federal-Human-Trafficking-Report-Low-Res.pdf

How Porn Can Fuel Sex Trafficking

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(Henry & Umbach, 2024)

According to a survey of more than 16,000 adults across 10 countries, 1 in 7 reported having experienced sextortion.

Citations

Henry, N., & Umbach, R. (2024). Sextortion: Prevalence and correlates in 10 countries. Computers in Human Behavior, 158, 108298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2024.108298

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(Fedina, Williamson, & Perdue, 2019)

44.6% of underage sex trafficking victims experienced childhood sexual abuse before entry into the commercial sex industry.

Citations

Fedina, L., Williamson, C., & Perdue, T. (2019). Risk Factors for Domestic Child Sex Trafficking in the United States. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 34(13), 2653–2673. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260516662306

How Porn Can Fuel Sex Trafficking

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(Sun, Wright, & Steffen, 2017)

Research suggests that porn can influence women to be more submissive in sexual encounters.

Citations

Sun, C. F., Wright, P., & Steffen, N. (2017). German Heterosexual Women’s Pornography Consumption and Sexual Behavior. Sexualization, Media, & Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/2374623817698113

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