The Effects of Pornography in Our Culture Today

The Effects of Pornography in Our Culture Today

Pornography is a constant debate. Everyone has an opinion on the subject. Many people say pornography is bad for society as a whole. There are many negative effects of pornography, such as an increased likelihood of sexually aggression, the objectification of women, and the imbalanced relationship in pornography may be integrated into real life relationships. Pornography has extensive, destructive effects that are too great to defend.

Pornography, especially violent pornography, may amplify the probability of sexual aggression. Violent pornography may provide one with the impression that sexual aggression is acceptable. In a study conducted by Kelly Davis, men were more likely to be sexually aroused by a portrayal of pornographic rape when the victim “was portrayed as experiencing sexual arousal during the rape (as is typical of rape portrayals in pornography) rather than disgusted” (Davis 3). The violent behavior caused the men to become aroused instead of disgusted, as they should have been. The behavior depicted in the film was acceptable to the men. Violent pornography enforce the idea “that women like to be treated like objects, treated with contempt, and enjoy eroticized violence” (Kasper). The woman enjoying being harmed in the depiction and men’s acceptance of the horrible act may create a false idea that pleasure and pain are the same. The men who view this type of pornography may begin to believe that women take pleasure in receiving pain. Men may become progressively more aggressive sexually in their attempt to recreate the situation they viewed. One study found that frequent “exposure to pornography in general, and violent rape pornography in particular, has been positively associated with self-reported likelihood of forced sex, rape, and sexual aggression” (2). Men may become more aggressive sexually due to the exposure to the pornographic representation of rape.

Men, women, and society are negatively affected by violent pornography. Men’s viewing of violent pornography will increase their likelihood of sexual aggression. An increase in sexual aggression could have a disastrous effect on their relationships. For example, a man who was not very aggressive sexually watched some violent pornography. He liked what he saw in the video and decided to try it with his wife. When he attempted to try what he saw in the video with his wife, she became upset. His obsession with violent sexual acts and her noncompliance creates stress in a relationship, which will most likely fail. An increase in the number of rapes could also be due to viewing violent pornography. As Davis stated, many men became more aggressive after viewing violent pornography, especially after they had been drinking (Davis 3). After drinking a person’s decision-making and impulse control become compromised. A drunken man may see a woman walking down a street like he viewed in the video. He may take advantage of the situation for a chance to recreate the scenario he viewed in the pornographic film. Men wanting to obtain the life of the male porn stars could end up hurting a woman, maybe even raping a woman. Violent pornography is detrimental to women, men and society.

The objectification of women is prevalent in pornography. Pornography, a 57 billion dollar industry worldwide, is not just a simple act of free speech. Pornography objectifies women. Women are “pets” or “playmates” not an individual in pornography (Kasper). They are objects of pleasure and dominance, nothing more. The men in pornographic films dominate and dehumanize the women. They use them for what they need or want then toss them aside. Women in pornographies are “men’s property -- always available and ready” (Kasper). Dehumanizing or objectifying women increases the amount of physical control the man exhibits over a woman. Objectifying women in pornography is “the theoretical expression of the physical control achieved over women by rape and assault” (Matheson). In other words, objectifying women in pornography is how the men who view this type of pornography want to act. The physical control they can achieve through