A Study on Porn

Https://bigthink.com/health/sexual-assualt-statistics-porn/

Interesting article on a question that occupies many a moralist's nightmares ...

It’s sort of a chicken/egg dilemma: which came first; aggression or porn-inspired aggression? One wonders if porn may even have been an outlet and prevented someone from being sexually aggressive. As the article points out, moralists will argue almost any point to promote their agenda.

Thanks for the link.

I think it’s like a lot of other issues with media/movies:

If someone watches a movie or plays a video game and causes crime/shooting because of it, did the media he viewed cause it ? Likely the individual already had major issues. But society will place blame on whatever the criminals obsession was (movies, games, etc. and state that it’s proof that it was the cause ).

Millions of people play video games and watch movies and don’t cause crime cause of it.

So in my opinion, watching some erotica won’t cause harm unless you’re a person already with mental health issues….

One wonders if porn may even have been an outlet and prevented someone from being sexually aggressive.

Back in late 1960s (was it 1969?) or early 1970s, when Denmark first legalized the sale of overt pornography, that is depictions of genitalia in erection and people engaged in sexual activity, however explicit, there was a noticeable drop in reported sex crimes. Because of this, other nations followed, most notably the Netherlands (much to my delight). Even Belgium where I live followed some years later though at the time Dutch publishers were printing porn magazines like crazy, Belgian censorship still insisted on blacking out nipples in issues of Playboy.

Anyway, the availability of porn lowering sex crime rates was accepted by most nations.

Though of course, moralists and religious conservatives never accepted the findings and continued to agitate against.

Now, legislators seem to have forgotten the lessons from the past and are out to pander to loud vocal moral minorities. Much like what happened during Prohibition it must be said. Making something illegal, gives it a lure and fascination beyond it true nature.

Anyway, the availability of porn lowering sex crime rates was accepted by most nations.

Well the converse was certainly proven in the UK just a few decades ago, where comically restrictive attitudes to viewing 'hard core' sex went hand in hand with high rates of sex crimes & teenage pregnancy. As late as the 1990s, sex shops here operated with regular Police raids confiscating pictures or videos of basically what ordinary couples were doing in their bedrooms. Fortunately, many of the Police were taking back-handers from the sex shop owners, so after their token raids, soon returned the haul to them for sale again.