According to Women’s Aid, pornography distorts the line between “sex” and “sexual violence”.

According to the National Domestic Violence Organization, this content in turn leads to high levels of violence against women and girls.

It also warned that pornography and the multi-billion dollar global industry shape the sexual expectations of children and young people in ways that normalize harmful, compulsive, dangerous and abusive behavior.

Today Women’s Aid publishes new Irish research that examines how pornography, which depicts high levels of sexual and physical aggression against women, actively distorts and breaks the boundary between “sex” and “sexual violence”.

The report also finds that consumption of sexually violent content negatively impacts the healthy sexual development and behavior of adults and adolescents, leading to sexual violence, unhealthy relationships and hostile misogyny, while exacerbating gender inequality.

The findings “clearly confirm” that the vast majority of pornography does not help promote healthy sexuality, equality and intimacy, but instead creates a conducive context for violence and degradation, according to Sarah Benson, chief executive of Women’s Aid.

“This is directly relevant to our work as women who come to Women’s Aid for support have identified their partner’s use of pornography as part of the sexual coercion and abuse they face.”

Women’s Aid is also “deeply concerned” about the growing phenomenon of image-based sexual abuse, she added, with “porn culture” leading to boys and young men feeling entitled to ask or demand, and girls and young women to do so Feeling like they are expected to share nude photos or film intimate videos as a “normal” part of romantic relationships.

“Such images can then be shared without consent by their partners/ex-partners or accused of them as a form of blackmail and coercion,” Ms Benson said.

By sharing these images, intimate partners are, in practice, generating more pornography for further consumption and harassing, threatening, and shaming young women.

Pornography also has extremely negative impacts on young people and society in general, she added.

“It reinforces misogynistic and disrespectful stereotypes and undermines any education on consent, safe, healthy and respectful relationships and gender equality.”

Sexual consent

Meanwhile, the report’s authors have called for a broader discussion on the issue of sexual consent in the context of a “culture steeped in pornography.”

According to Ruth Breslin, director of the Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy Institute (SERP) and co-author of the report alongside Dr. Monica O’Connor, several dedicated programs have helped Ireland make great strides in educating young people about consent.

“However, this progress is undermined by the fact that boys’ sexual expectations of girls are being shaped by pornography, while at the same time girls are being trained by pornography to submit to acts they do not want or enjoy.”