Pornography and the Normalization of Sexual Violence Essay Example

(2015) recent study supports this normalization by finding a link between exposure to violent pornography and engagement in abusive relationships. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate the negative effects of this normalization on the sexual health of both men and women, specifically regarding gendered violence, sexual assault, and domestic abuse.

To better understand how viewing pornography featuring sexual violence impacts relationships, a 36-month study was conducted on American youth aged 10 to 15 years. The results revealed that intentionally exposing oneself to sexual violence in pornography predicted a significant increase in self-reported sexually aggressive behavior (Rothman, 2015). In addition, another study conducted by Walter S. DeKeserdy and Amanda Hall-Sanchez examined 43 female participants from a previous study focused on sexual assault during separation/divorce.

According to Dekeserdy and Hall-Sanchez, 43 participants were involved in the study. Out of those, 28 reported that their estranged partners watched pornography. However, it is important to acknowledge that some participants may not have been aware of their partner's porn consumption, potentially leading to underreporting. Additionally, 12 participants stated that pornography was linked to their experiences of sexual assault.

One participant shared a distressing account where her abusive husband frequently used pornography as a "teaching tool" and even had her 16-year-old child secretly viewing it at night without her knowledge. Moreover, eleven participants disclosed that their ex-partners often compared them to the women depicted in the pornographic material they watched.

This demonstrates that male partners not only attempted to replicate the relationships seen in pornography but also idolized the female characters portrayed within it.

The desire for female partners to conform to an unrealistic standard of beauty also implies the desire for them to

imitate exaggerated behaviors and mannerisms seen in pornography. This is supported by a study conducted by Emily Rothman and colleagues, which found that 11% of female patients at urban community health centers reported being coerced into engaging in sexual activities they had seen in pornography (Rothman, 2015). Another study revealed that female partners are more likely to be pressured into engaging in anal sex when their male partners consume pornography featuring it (Rothman, 2015). Numerous studies have shown that regular consumers of pornography tend to replicate harmful acts and behaviors witnessed in actual relationships, often causing harm to their female partners. The frequent exposure to sexual violence in porn normalizes it to the extent that viewers prefer the fictional power dynamics and relationships depicted – usually involving a submissive female partner and dominant male partner – over their own real relationships. The normalization and glorification of abusive dynamics is prevalent in contemporary pornography.

Advocates arguing for the destigmatization of pornography assert that pornographic content merely showcases sexual fantasies. However, they overlook the frequent real-life impact of these fantasies. When power imbalances and abusive dynamics between men and women become normalized and replicated in actual relationships, concerns arise about how these abusive patterns affect interactions between genders beyond romantic partnerships. Violent pornography presents women as submissive objects or conquests to be dominated, thereby reinforcing the belief that men's pleasure is more important than women's well-being or dignity. This places both men's perception of women and women's perception of themselves at risk, resulting in unhealthy levels of aggression during sexual activities and problematic dynamics within relationships. Society must critically assess the material we expose ourselves to and what

we are willing to pay for such exposure.

Works Cited

1. Dekeseredy, Walter S., and Hall-Sanchez, Amanda. “Adult Pornography and Violence Against Women in the Heartland: Results From a Rural Southeast Ohio Study.” Violence Against Women, vol. 23, no. 7, 2016, pp. 830–849. < http://journals.sagepub.com.librarylink.uncc.edu/doi/pdf/10.1177/1077801216648795>
2. Dines, Gail. “A Feminist Response to Weitzer.” Violence Against Women, vol. 18, no. 4, 2012, pp. 512–520. < http://journals.sagepub.com.librarylink.uncc.edu/doi/pdf/10.1177/1077801212452550>
3. Rothman, Emily F.

"Domestic Violence-What's Porn Got to Do With It? | SPH | Boston University." School of Public Health Sellgren, Katherine states that pornography is desensitizing young people. According to the article by Edward Donnerstein titled "Pornography and Sexual Aggression," this issue was already studied in 1984.