An Irish study released today highlights how porn can blur the lines between sex and sexual violence.

Today, a study titled Facing Reality: Addressing the Role of Pornography in the Pandemic of Violence Against Women and Girls was released by The Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy (SERP) and Women’s Aid, funded by Community Foundation Ireland. The report drew on existing literature and consulted “key domestic and international experts,” focusing on the nature, consumption, and impacts of pornography, as well as its effects on gender equality, sexuality, and gender-based violence.

The findings revealed that much of mainstream pornography prominently features sexual and physical aggression against women, blurring the line between sex and sexual violence. Researchers analysed over 300 scenes from mainstream porn sites, finding that almost nine in ten (88.2%) scenes included physical aggression, while nearly half (48.7%) contained verbal aggression. In 70% of cases, men were the perpetrators of aggression, and women were the targets in 94.4% of instances.

Perhaps most alarmingly, the report concluded that exposure to sexually violent content negatively affects healthy sexual development and can directly contribute to “sexual violence, unhealthy relationships, hostile misogyny, and exacerbates gender inequality.”

The report makes this link explicit: “There is a significant body of research evidence demonstrating the relationship between consumption of pornography, in particular regular consumption, and the perpetration of violence against women and girls.”

Commenting on the report, Sarah Benson, CEO of Women’s Aid, has said, “This study now clearly confirms that that the vast majority of pornography does nothing to promote healthy sexuality, equality and intimacy but is instead creating a conducive context for violence and degradation, particularly of women and girls.”

Following the publication of the report today, Woman’s Aid has called for urgent action to address the harm that pornography is causing. The charity called for “frank public discussion, education, child protection measures and targeting the business model of the multibillion euro porn industry”.

Elsewhere on District: Women In Ireland Don’t Feel Safe.