Pornography, being the visual material
containing the explicit description or display of sexual organs or
activity, intended to stimulate sexual excitement,
is no doubt one
sexual activity that has been in existence for a long time. For some, it
is something they watch in their leisure, and for some others, it has
become an addiction.
As much as it has been condemned by
moralists and spiritual leaders, more so that major religions also abhor
it, it is however interesting to note that it keeps spreading, and more
than ever before, people across all ages; young, old and elderly seem
to (increasingly) indulge in it.
According to Covenant Eyes, internet
accountability and filtering company, as of 2007, global porn revenues
were estimated at $20bn.
A report had shown that the number of
pornographic views on one of the popular pornographic websites rose from
63.2 billion video views in 2012 to 78.9 billion views in 2013, and
phones accounted for 45 per cent of these views; desktop was 44 per cent
and views on tablets rose by 20 per cent to account for its 11 per
cent.
Previous reports had also found that men
are 543 per cent more likely to watch pornography than females, but one
in three women also watches it at least once a week, and most of such
persons view it on their mobile devices.
It is believed that most people who
watch pornography do so to satisfy their sexual urge, but it is worthy
of note that some married persons also watch it.
For married persons who watch it, such
is seen as a symbol of sexual dissatisfaction and or matrimonial
discontentment, especially if the viewer started it after entering into
marriage.
Findings have revealed that watching
pornography has numerous side effects, as it can dull the brain, breed
masturbation, influence the viewer’s perception of the opposite sex as a
mere sex object, breed inferiority complex and reduce libido. But
beyond these, it has been found to be one of the things that ruin
marriages.
According to a sociologist, Dr. Jill
Manning, who is a marriage and family therapist and specialist in
research and clinical work related to pornography and problematic sexual
behaviour, pornography in marriage can lead to infidelity, increased
marital distress, risk of separation and divorce, decreased marital
intimacy, sexual dissatisfaction, increased appetite for more graphic
types of pornography, sexual activity associated with abusive, illegal
or unsafe practices and devaluation of marriage.
In the same vein, studies have equally
shown that the more pornography a person watches, the more likely it is
for the person to engage in extramarital affair, which is one of the
causes of divorce.
Previous studies had shown that the
inability of the viewer to experience all the ‘actions’ in the movie
could impair their sexual satisfaction in the marriage, thus, seeing
their partner as failure in bed.
Meanwhile, a study by some researchers
from University of Oklahoma in the United States found that watching
pornography in marriage doubles the risk of divorce, and it is the
viewer who would more likely file for the divorce or quit the
relationship.
In the study, the researchers asked
5,698 married adults from time to time, over a period of seven years,
how much of pornography they watched and the impact on their sexual
satisfaction. At the end of the study, it was found that pornography
affects marriages negatively.
One of the researchers, Dr. Samuel
Perry, said, “Our results suggest that viewing pornography, under
certain social conditions, may have negative effects on marital
stability.
“Beginning pornography use between
survey waves nearly doubled one’s likelihood of being divorced by the
next survey period, from six per cent to 11 per cent, and nearly tripled
it for women, from six per cent to 16 per cent.
“Those who were very happy in their
marriage were associated with a noteworthy increase – from three per
cent to 12 per cent – in the likelihood of getting divorced by the time
of the next survey.”
Perry and his colleague, Cyrus
Schleifer, said this effect was more if the couples were newlyweds or
they were religious, but it had no effect on unhappy marriages.
A previous report had shown that people
who are happily married are less likely to watch porn, while people who
had committed adultery, at least once, are 218 per cent more likely to
watch porn and people who had ever patronised commercial sex workers are
270 per cent more likely to watch it.
The researchers said, “We took this to
mean that pornography use – perhaps if it’s discovered by one’s spouse
unexpectedly – could rock an otherwise happy marriage to the point of
divorce, but it does not seem to make an unhappy marriage any worse than
it already is.
“We have no desire to push a ‘ban
pornography’ agenda on the grounds that it can be harmful to marriages,
we think information is helpful, and people should be aware of the
potential consequences of pornography under certain circumstances.”
As much as watching pornography leads to
divorce, it also damages sexual performance of the viewer. That is the
view of Dr. Mary Anne Layden, who is the director of Education, Centre
for Cognitive Therapy, Department of Psychiatry, University of
Pennsylvania, United States.
She said, “Pornography viewers tend to
have problems with premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction.
Having spent so much time in unnatural sexual experiences with paper,
celluloid and cyberspace, they seem to find it difficult to have sex
with a real human being.
“Pornography is raising their
expectation and demand for types and amounts of sexual experiences; at
the same time it is reducing their ability to experience sex.”
However, Covenant Eyes, in its analysis
of five different studies carried out in 2012 examined the correlation
between pornography consumption and commitment to romantic
relationships.
With the use of cross-sectional,
observational, experimental and behavioural approaches, it was revealed
that there is a consistent pattern of results across the five studies:
more pornography consumption is associated with a more weakened
commitment to one’s relationship partner.”
Yes, pornography has damaging effects on
marital success, but unmarried people are equally not immune from its
many hazards. A psychosexual therapist, Angela Gregory, has revealed
that pornography is damaging young men’s sexual health and could cause
erectile dysfunction, thus, making old men of teenagers young men. It
could also make them not to be aroused by normal sexual intercourse.
On how watching pornography can double
the risk of divorce, a psychologist, Prof. Oni Fagboungbe, said apart
from the frustration emanating from unfulfilled expectation by the
viewer, it could breed disagreement between them.
He said, “It is true that pornography
can lead to divorce. The reason is that learning manifests itself in
performance. When you expose yourself to pornography, the next thing is
the urge to practicalise what you have learnt, and in the process of
practicalising it, unorthodox activities will creep in.
“Before you know it, it could lead to
disagreement between couples and they might end up terminating the
relationship because the desires of the viewer may not be met.
“When you watch something and you are
absorbing it, the next thing is how you want to try that thing. We call
it observational learning and it’s very powerful, just as children watch
their parents do certain things and they want to try them. That urge is
always very high.
“The pleasure you derive from watching
pornography does not manifest until you practicalise what you have
watched and in that process, other effects will come in.”
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