Online porn is normalising violence

Young women are experiencing sexual violence because of what men are taught through pornography, an academic has said.

Dr Rachael Sharman, an Australian lecturer in psychology, also warns young people think sex should be painful due to what they're watching.

The news comes as an official inquiry into the links between pornography and sexual violence is being undertaken in the UK.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Commercial Sexual Exploitation announced an official investigation into the pornography industry last year in response to growing concerns.

The APPG notes that porn addiction has been implicated in several murders, including the recent case of Sarah Everard, and highlighted concerns about porn expressed by police and child protection officials.

James Mildred, Chief Communications Officer at CARE, comments:

“The links between extreme pornography and sexual violence are becoming clearer and clearer. Pornography has been implicated in a host of tragic cases involving the rape and murder of women in recent years. It is described as a contributing factor by those working with victims of sexual violence across the UK. And it has been named as a motivator of sexual harassment in schools.

“Politicians are right to seek evidence from a wide range of stakeholders and we call on them to consider a wide range of actions. As Dame Diana Johnson, Chair of the APPG, says ‘The intolerable level of sexual violence that is perpetrated day in day out in this country is not inevitable’. Evaluating and addressing the harms of pornography is one way to challenge this toxic culture.”

Polling commissioned by CARE found broad public concern about the link between pornography consumption and sexual violence against women and girls.

A Savanta ComRes poll of 2,000 people last year found 6 in 10 UK adults agree with the statement: “I am concerned that pornography is inspiring sexual violence against women and girls.” Only 1 in 10 disagreed.

7 in 10 adults also agreed that: “The government should stop websites publishing extreme pornography that portrays violence or non-consensual sex”, with less than 1 in 10 respondents disagreeing.