New research shows a third of adults think porn is acceptable, but nearly half also say it damages mental health. Churches might find it hard to talk about porn, says Ian Henderson, but it’s a conversation Christians can’t avoid
Talking about pornography in our church services and congregations has often felt too taboo for open discussion. Many churches are uncertain if or how they should address this sensitive topic. But whilst talking about porn might be taboo in church, in wider society, the opposite is true. Porn is becoming normalised, and any Christian challenge to the positive narrative that now surrounds it is often met with apathy, or even animosity.
In a recent ComRes survey commissioned by the Naked Truth Project, we found that one in five UK adults would consider joining the porn industry, if the salary was high enough and if they were guaranteed a safe working environment. The survey also showed that 34 percent of UK adults believe that porn has become an acceptable part of society. But 49 per cent also said that they think pornography consumption negatively affects mental health. So what do these stats tell us? Let’s unpack them in order.
1. A fifth of adults would consider a career in porn
The porn industry has crafted a persuasive narrative of sexual liberation, and this statistic showcases its success in concealing the true cost of porn. Josh Broome, a former award-winning porn performer who now speaks out against the industry, warns people that it is not liberating work, as many are led to believe: “You pretend to be someone else every day, you’re going by a fake name, you’re performing a fictitious act of intimacy… It came with a price, and that price was me being so depressed and so distraught and seeing myself with such a low value that I wanted to end my life. So many people would think, man, this guy had it all. And actually, I felt like I had nothing.”
When I have sex with my girlfriend, do I have to strangle her?
It’s been said of pornography that “there is no dignity when the human dimension is eliminated from the person. In short, the problem with pornography is not that it shows too much of the person, but that it shows far too little.”
The damage that porn does extends beyond those in the industry too. At Naked Truth, we work with hundreds of individuals who have experienced the harm that porn causes to mental health, relationships and family life. The porn industry has lied to so many in society - promising so much yet ruining lives and leaving individuals feeling like they have nothing. It’s vital that we open people’s eyes to the damaging impact of pornography, and tell a better story; of hope, healing and freedom found in Jesus.
2. Over a third believe porn is OK
While porn is becoming increasingly acceptable in society, we cannot let it become accepted. Porn boasts harmlessness and positivity around its usage and production, but its fruit is rotten and the reality that porn has shaped is toxic.
A report released by the NSPCC said that 44 per cent of boys aged eleven to 16 who consumed porn reported that it gave them ideas about the type of sex they wanted to try. Some statistics say as many as nine in ten porn videos show acts of physical violence or aggression, and that women are the targets of that aggression and violence about 97 per cent of the time. Bearing that in mind, we begin to understand how toxic the story that porn spins has become. One pupil summed it up when he simply asked: “When I have sex with my girlfriend, do I have to strangle her?” For many young men and women, this is the only story they know, and they struggle to see beyond it.
The problem with pornography is not that it shows too much of the person, but that it shows far too little
In a culture where pornography is seen as increasingly normal - or even acceptable - we believe the Church has an increasingly important role in questioning and calling out the damage caused by pornography. No one likes to be told that they have been conned, or that they have believed a lie, but we have seen first-hand how, like an accomplished con artist, pornography has both deceived and stolen from individuals, families and communities. Helping individuals and society to take a true inventory of the damage porn causes is a challenge that requires us, as churches, to be both brave and kind.
3. Half believe porn negatively affects mental health
Studies show that the impacts porn has on mental health are wide ranging, including increased feelings of isolation, shame and low self-esteem. Those things can often drive an individual back to porn to mask or soothe those negative emotions. And so the cycle continues. Christians have an opportunity to help break the cycle, by cultivating a shame-free environment where people feel safe to ask for help. As disciples of Jesus, we are called to do what he did - to draw alongside individuals and champion their worth, refusing to give shame the last word. Through open conversation and a willingness to not only recognise the damage that porn causes but to also celebrate the beauty of healthy sexuality, we can help guard against the unhealthy substitute that porn offers. Let’s be ready and willing to listen to those who are struggling, to instigate shame-free conversations and to tell a better story of hope, healing and freedom from porn’s damaging impacts.
How can Christians help?
Here at the Naked Truth Project, we seek to open eyes and free lives from the damaging impact of pornography. If you, or someone you know has been affected, there are lots of resources out there that can help, including on our website.
From September 28-30th, we’re gathering hundreds of church leaders online at the P WORD conference, an event designed to equip churches to talk about and tackle the issue of pornography. If you or your church would like to better educate yourself on the issue of pornography in society, enabling you to share a better story with those in need, why not join us?
