Pornography in this generation is at its highest. With the accessibility to porn being as easy as it is, we find ourselves indulging in the addictive behaviours associated with it. The over-consumption of porn has shown to be detrimental to us not only mentally, but also physically. Correlating to sexual dysfunctions, addiction and a lack of intimacy. But does porn contribute into the making of a criminal? A murder? A sex offender?
The evolution of porn throughout our lives differs, especially from the generations before us. Our elders were gradually exposed to the world of porn; starting with letters through the post of women in underwear, to coming across your brothers VHS tapes and playboy magazines, to then purchasing your own set of porn. Whilst now we find that pornography is accessible at our finger tips, porn consumption really starts from any age that you happen to come across it. However, what we find on the internet is a lot darker than those magazines we used to look through. With the easy access to it all, what impact does this have on us?
Porn and the brain:
Research has found the effects porn has on the brain to be quite profound. With over-consumption of porn leading to volume loss in the pre-frontal cortex; responsible for decision making. Leading to a worsened ability to make good decisions and lessened self-control. MRI scans show in a 2010 study that after men consumed porn they saw women as more of an object than a person. Could we say that porn may be slightly responsible for the way in which men view women? or is it still in their nature? Research has also shown that overconsumption of porn can lead to new pathways in the prefrontal cortex that override and go to the limbic system, responsible for behaviours such as survival. Creating involuntary actions in relation to sex from the changes porn causes in the brain. Could such effects explain behaviours such as rape and sexual assault?
The creator of a sex offender:
Information about the over-consumption of pornography does not only impact the pre-frontal cortex, but also the ability to override the limbic system. With porn constantly meeting a mans visual desire, ultimately leading to worsened decision making, and involuntary responses in regard to sexual stimuli. Can we conclude that porn may be a bigger problem than we thought? Evidence supports that men are four times more likely to consume porn, explaining the statistic in England and Wales that 98% of sex offenders were men. (This is not accurate due to male victims not finding it as easy to speak up, statistics should not be taken as an accurate reflection). If the majority of men are sex offenders, it can be seen how it is likely for it to occur.
Pornography has not only been shown to be used by sex offenders to support deviant and violent fantasies, but it was found that hard core porn in adolescent use was found to be a part of 1/3 of adult child sex offenders, with more than 69-83% of sex offenders watching hard core porn in current use.
Does this pertain to that of only men? or do women get affected as much? An article discussing differences between gender in relation to brain activity during porn consumption found that women were less visually stimulated, stating "men are more sexually aroused by visual stimuli, but women are more sexually aroused by concrete, auditory, olfactory, touch and emotionally relevant sexual stimulation". Because of these differences, it can be seen how men would be more likely to consume porn and thus, be predisposed to an addiction, especially through men's higher porn consumption. Additionally, a study also found that exposure to pornography is linked to adolescent violence in dating and sexual aggression, wherein, the study looked at the impact violent pornography had on young people. Violent pornography was shown to impact boys making them 2-3 times more likely to report sexual perpetrated threatening teen violence, victimisation and physical victimisation. Whilst, girls were 1.5 times more likely to act on perpetrated threatening teen violence.
Does porn make a murderer?
It has been evident in many cases of murders that Porn plays a role in the adaptation of the brain to the desensitisation of certain pornographic images. Ted Bundy gave insight into his addiction to porn, where he did blame porn for his violent crimes. He stated "I would keep looking for more potent, more explicit, more graphic kinds of material. Like an addiction, you keep craving something which is harder, harder, something which gives you a greater sense of excitement. Until you reach the point that pornography only goes so far…". Other prolific serial killers such as Jeffrey Dahmer, Richard Ramirez, and John Wayne Gacy also admitted to a porn addiction. Bundy and Dahmer were found to be desensitised to the victimisation of their attacks, leading to them seeing victims as disposable. Is the desensitisation of graphic images the reason that porn addiction goes from watching porn to acting on sexual fantasies? Is the reason this leads to murder because of the changes in the brain?
Bundy also stated in an interview with Dr. Dobson "I’m talking from personal experience, hard real personal experience, the most damaging kinds of pornography are those that involve violence and sexual violence because the wedding of those two forces, as I know only too well, brings about behaviour that is just too terrible to describe". Bundy has made it very evident the impact porn has on the brain and its association with violence. As mentioned earlier, the overridden Limbic system and decreased pre-frontal cortex plays a large role in worsened self-control and decision making. Could this explain, with the insight of famous murderers, the catalyst to which starts such violent and horrific crimes? Connecting the damage porn has on the brain and the desensitisation of graphic images, are murderers merely a creation of the porn industry?
Although evidence links serial killers to pornography addiction and the damaging effects these have on the brain. This doesn't however, explain the years before porn where serial killers still existed. Research shows how childhood upbringing can be influential on the making of a murderer, as a consequence of separation from mothers and/or trauma. Trauma within childhood is usually seen through domestic abuse, violence and sexual abuse. As a result of this, scientists believe that people who have experienced such trauma can suffer damage to the areas of the brain that control emotional impulse. Whilst, such experiences also lead to the learnt behaviour of suppressing empathetic responses. Explaining why most serial killers have no empathy/remorse for their actions.
Balancing porn and healthy consumption:
What can we learn from the impacts porn consumption has on the brain? How can we prevent becoming murderous serial killers from porn use? The verdict on how much porn we should watch is very limited, however, it has been said that porn isn't unhealthy to watch but must be watched within moderation. It has been suggested to watch it recreationally, although no determined number within the weeks/months is defined, we can assume that porn should be watched recreationally, deemed to be used less in the weeks/months than the times that we're not doing it.
Frequent porn use has been associated with detachment from partners, leading to poor quality and instable marriages. Healthy porn-consumption is also relative to partners, what they are happy with and the comfortability within the relationship. Me and my boyfriend were very open about porn at the start of our relationship, it never became a taboo subject and we'd sometimes even recommend porn to each other. However, even with this healthy balance within our relationship, we still made the decision to cut porn out of our relationship to see the effects it may have on our sex life. I can say it is very positive and we have never been more focused on each other and have been able to explore other avenues as a result. This is, on the other hand, my story and every other relationship will differ.
This isn't only limited to a relationship, even if someone is not obliged to another, porn consumption should evidently be balanced and managed for a healthy brain and outlook on life. Other considerations should also be taken into account. The ethics of porn is so hard to distinguish, where many porn videos involve sex-trafficked women and non-consensual porn. This is where being mindful in porn consumption is vital in not only the health of our ourselves but to also diminish the problems we face within the porn industry today, especially with the increase of sex-trafficking and non-consensual porn. Conclusively, porn isn't good or bad, but like everything in the world, it needs its balance. But should we start to educate our children more on porn consumption and it's effects? How is our newer generation going to be effected? Will we create more sex offenders or murderers by allowing the "normality" of unbalance porn consumption?
Sources of information:
Watching pornography rewires the brain to a more juvenile state
What Porn Does to Your Brain and How to Quit
Pornography’s Effect on the Brain: A Review of Modifications in the Prefrontal Cortex (byu.edu)
Online Pornography's Effects, and a New Way to Fight Them - WSJ
Gender difference in brain activation to audio-visual sexual stimulation; do women and men experience the same level of arousal in response to the same video clip?
The Ted Bundy Dilemma: Should You Be Scared of Pornography Addiction?
Serial Killer Ted Bundy Describes the Dangers of Pornography
Why Were So Many Serial Killers Porn Addicts?
Is Pornography Destroying Your Marriage?
We got a psychologist to reveal how much porn is too much. You’re welcome!
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