Pornography may be defined as "movies, pictures, magazines, etc., that show or describe naked people or sex in a very open and direct way to cause sexual excitement" [1].

With the advent of modern times and the meteoric rise in internet accessibility, we are more exposed to such media than ever, it's no more, a source of misguided discovery but rather a sense of commonness is developed around it. Data[2] suggests, as of May 2021, porn sites received more website traffic in the U.S.

Than Twitter, Instagram, Netflix, Pinterest, and LinkedIn combined; reflecting on such astonishing numbers, it is imperative to believe that mainstream pornography has taken a normative order in the minds of the masses. The wide availability has a troubling downside, as it may affect the preferences[3] of the viewers in an almost exploitative manner which may further lead to a path of utter degeneracy.

The easy exposure to such obscenity and suggestive content can be blamed for leaving a confused impression in the minds of the viewer, as the concept of what's right and what's not is left greatly conflicted. A study[4] concludes that "of the 304 scenes analyzed, 88.2% contained physical aggression, principally spanking, gagging, and slapping, while 48.7% of scenes contained verbal aggression, primarily name-calling.

Perpetrators of aggression were usually male, whereas targets of aggression were overwhelmingly female. Targets most often showed pleasure or responded neutrally to the aggression. the enrooting the thought of acceptability in the mind of the viewer"; such data clearly shows how the short-term gratification could lead to long term detriments.

The rise of the 'incel' subculture acts as a perfect example, as pornography has perpetuated their "extreme feelings of misogyny and hatred"[5]. As such media leaves the viewer virtually desensitized, it does the dangerous job of setting skewed standards, giving birth to destructive and violent thoughts.

The keyword such as "teen"[6], "aggressive"[7] and "child"[8] are being used on popular adult websites; fueling the perverse curiosity, it is to be understood that such extremely suggestive material doesn't reflect on the righteousness of the act, they merely act as a catalyst to viewer's twisted pleasures.

Sexual violence can be defined as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life"[9].

According to a study[10], the consumption of pornography is closely associated with an increase in sexual aggression, verbal and physical, as it encourages wrongful behavior and sets unreal expectations. The 2020 reporting of the "Bois Locker Room" showcases the common usage of rape culture language within a group of schoolboys; this brings forth the fact that heinous actions such as 'rape' are being normalized by objectifying women and pornography has a great role to play to set such false beliefs and practices in the minds of the consumer

 There have been multiple cases in India, where the rape accused admitted to the adverse influence of pornography that led them to commit the offense, for instance, in the Nirbhaya Case[11], the accused admitted to committing the crime after watching violent pornographic content, similarly, when a youth from Gujarat was arrested after raping his mother, he admitted the provocation was a result of consuming lewd content on the same lines.

The act of simply browsing through such suggestive content also produce adverse effects on the minds given the exploitative scripting which can be in the form of titles, thumbnails, or description; according to a study[12] that seeks to establish a link between sexual violence and such scripting, "01 out of every 08 porn titles shown to first-time users on porn home pages describe acts of sexual violence".

A healthy sexual culture is the need of the hour. We need to start working towards reasonable regulations and invest more in research studies, to explore the behavioral effects of pornography use. Academic institutions need to take the topic of sexual education head-on and should not be shy about the same, an avenue for students to address their doubts would help out in the long run.

The concept of warning labels on all suggestive content can be an impactful suggestion as it can help produce a sense of caution in the mind of viewers; such labels can attempt to acknowledge the nature of the act. The age verification protocol demands an upgrade to regulate the consumers and cater to a matured audience. It's about time that we raise some critical questions about pornography to better understand its significance of the same on society.

End-Notes:

1. Pornography Definition & Meaning (Merriam-Webster) accessed May 10, 2022
2. Top 100: The Most Visited Websites in the US [2021 Top Websites Edition] (Semrush Blog) accessed May 10, 2022
3. Wéry A and Billieux J, Online Sexual Activities: An Exploratory Study of Problematic and Non-Problematic Usage Patterns in a Sample of Men (2016) 56 Computers in Human Behavior 257
4. Bridges AJ and others, Aggression and Sexual Behavior in Best-Selling Pornography Videos: A Content Analysis Update (2010) 16 Violence Against Women 1065
5. Why Incels Are a 'Real and Present Threat' for Canadians | CBC News (CBC News, January 27, 2019) accessed May 10, 2022
6. Walker A, Makin DA and Morczek AL, Finding Lolita: A Comparative Analysis of Interest in Youth-Oriented Pornography (2016) 20 Sexuality & Culture 657
7. Wéry A and Billieux J, "Online Sexual Activities: An Exploratory Study of Problematic and Non-Problematic Usage Patterns in a Sample of Men" (2016) 56 Computers in Human Behavior 257
8. Keller MH and X GJ, The Internet Is Overrun with Images of Child Sexual Abuse. What Went Wrong? (The New York Times, September 29, 2019) accessed May 10, 2022
9. International Expert Group Meeting on the Theme 'Combating Violence against Indigenous Women and Girls: Article 22 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples' (2012: New York) (DHLAUTH)841508,, Combating violence against indigenous women and girls: Article 22 of the United Nations Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples: Report (Nairobi 2012)
10. Wright PJ, Tokunaga RS, and Kraus A, A Meta-Analysis of Pornography Consumption and Actual Acts of Sexual Aggression in General Population Studies (2015) 66 Journal of Communication 183
11. Mukesh & Anr v. State for NCT of Delhi & Ors (2017) 6 SCC 1
12. Vera-Gray F and others, "Sexual Violence as a Sexual Script in Mainstream Online Pornography" (2021) 61 The British Journal of Criminology 1243a