Over 100 quick stats and findings from an ever-growing body of research that details the effects of porn for individuals, relationships, and society.
Porn consumption is associated with lower self-esteem.
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.
Qualitative research with current and former porn performers suggests that sexual exploitation and trafficking are common experiences in the porn industry.
Studies consistently show that porn is linked to lower relationship satisfaction and lower relationship quality.
A 2021 study analyzed videos from popular porn sites and found that porn featuring Black people tends to perpetuate harmful racist stereotypes, disproportionately emphasize violence and aggression, and often depicts Black people as “worse than objects.”
LGBTQ+ youth who are rejected because of their sexual orientation or gender identity are particularly vulnerable to potential psychological/emotional manipulation by traffickers or predators who may take advantage of them.
Research has shown that those who don’t consume porn report higher relationship quality—on every measure— than those who viewed pornography alone.
According to one report on domestic minor sex trafficking, survivors indicate that they were sometimes “advertised” on porn sites.
According to a nationally representative survey of U.S. teens, 84.4% of 14 to 18-year-old males and 57% of 14 to 18-year-old females have viewed pornography.
Despite porn’s promise of improving consumers’ sex lives, research shows that consuming porn is associated with decreased sexual satisfaction.
44.6% of underage sex trafficking victims experienced childhood sexual abuse before entry into the commercial sex industry.
Research shows that those with an interest in extreme or degrading porn are more likely to reenact porn scenes during sex with a partner.
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