The fundamental question surrounding porn – which resurfaces every time a violent crime involves the perpetrator’s porn use – is whether it has the power to encourage, normalise or even trigger acts of rape and sexual violence. BBC Future reviewed what researchers have concluded so far: That said, there is a growing body of literature that can provide hints.
The nature of porn dictates that researchers must either rely on people self-reporting their porn habits, or show it to them in laboratory settings that are unnatural. They warned that this has the potential to blur the line between reality and fantasy, perhaps damaging relationships and encouraging harmful behaviour.īut what does the evidence actually say about how porn may or may not be affecting people? Can research provide any answers? The truth is that it is a difficult question for scientists to study. Earlier this year, researchers from Newcastle University in the UK pointed out that VR changes the experience of porn from detached observer to protagonist. It is also becoming more immersive than ever before. Porn has transformed over the past few decades, due to the availability of the internet and faster web connections. It’s even been labelled a public health hazard by politicians in Utah. Despite being so widely consumed, porn is maligned as the source of society’s ills. But while people across the world speak different languages, eat different foods and even feel different emotions, millions across the world watch porn.