XXX - PORNOGRAPHY

Women bear the brunt of porn’s ill effects. Many production studios run series sexualizing women at work, at school, and even at the doctor, often with female participants shown as either enjoying or being victimized by violent sexual acts. With entire sections and genres dedicated to these types of porn, is it any surprise we see these manifestations of violence against women in real life?

Result of frequent porn consumption is that women now face new expectations of sexual behavior which can lead to higher divorce rates, infidelity, and feelings of sexual incompetence spurred by pornography. Adolescent boys who consume pornography are more prone to violence, aggression, and sexual coercion, and are more susceptible to sexual coercion by peers and adults. The age at which males are first exposed to porn shapes their sexual behavior and tendency to seek power over women. Conversely, adolescent girls are more likely to tolerate emotional, physical, and sexual abuse as a result. What does it say about pornography if its contents lead to our children being taught violence, coercion, and tolerating toxic behavior?

Sadly, child pornography is produced by a guardian, neighbor, or family friend, meaning that the biggest threat to your child’s safety is those closest to you. 

India has one of the most avid users of pornographic websites. Unfortunately, the industry shows several harmful contents, including online child sexual abuse. The spike in cases of child pornography reflects the grim picture of online child sexual abuse in India. The Indian government has strict laws against such abusive content under the POCSO Act, but the question arises as to whether our system is equipped and capable enough to understand and invoke such offences. Reports say that the pendency of POCSO cases has increased over the years. The situation is a rising alarm for the Indian government. The government must actively take the necessary steps to stop the crime by strictly punishing the culprits.

Common sense would tell us that constant exposure to simulated sexual violence will lead to an internalization of these attitudes, but common sense cannot dictate policy. If we are to protect our most vulnerable populations from sex abuse and sexual violence, we need to aggressively pursue research regarding frequent consumption of internet pornography, especially when it has become available to so many, so much earlier in life. Education on how that increase is distorting the collective minds of today’s society must become available and understood in order for necessary change to take place.