Pornography, Sexual Coercion and Abuse and Sexting in Young People’s Intimate Relationships: A European Study

TLDR

New technology has made pornography more accessible to young people, and evidence links viewing it to violent or abusive behavior in young men. The study examines how regular online pornography viewing relates to sexual coercion, abuse, and sexting among 4,564 adolescents in five European countries, supplemented by 91 interviews with youths who experienced interpersonal violence. Data were collected via a school‑based survey of 4,564 adolescents and 91 qualitative interviews with youths who had experienced interpersonal violence. Regular online pornography viewing among boys was linked to higher rates of sexual coercion, abuse, sexting, and negative gender attitudes, and qualitative data showed sexting could reinforce sexist dynamics, underscoring the need for critical pornography education.

Abstract

New technology has made pornography increasingly accessible to young people, and a growing evidence base has identified a relationship between viewing pornography and violent or abusive behavior in young men. This article reports findings from a large survey of 4,564 young people aged 14 to 17 in five European countries which illuminate the relationship between regular viewing of online pornography, sexual coercion and abuse and the sending and receiving of sexual images and messages, known as “sexting.” In addition to the survey, which was completed in schools, 91 interviews were undertaken with young people who had direct experience of interpersonal violence and abuse in their own relationships. Rates for regularly viewing online pornography were very much higher among boys and most had chosen to watch pornography. Boys’ perpetration of sexual coercion and abuse was significantly associated with regular viewing of online pornography. Viewing online pornography was also associated with a significantly increased probability of having sent sexual images/messages for boys in nearly all countries. In addition, boys who regularly watched online pornography were significantly more likely to hold negative gender attitudes. The qualitative interviews illustrated that, although sexting is normalized and perceived positively by most young people, it has the potential to reproduce sexist features of pornography such as control and humiliation. Sex and relationships education should aim to promote a critical understanding of pornography among young people that recognizes its abusive and gendered values.