D'Roll vun der Pornographie am sexuellen Beleidegung (2007)

Bensimon, Philipe.

Sexuell Sucht & Compulsivitéit 14, nee. 2 (2007): 95-117.

This paper provides a review of the literature pertinent to the link between exposure to pornography and sexual offences. Research concerning the use of pornography as a precursor to sexual offending has yielded mixed results. Inconsistent findings can be attributed to differing research methodologies, including sampling strategies, measures, and genre(s) of pornography included. While the debate rages on regarding the potentially damaging effects of pornography, there is a consensus on one point: the availability and consumption of pornography does nothing to mitigate the likelihood that consumers will sexually offend. Very little research has been devoted to examining the impact of pornography consumption on incarcerated individuals. This is an important avenue of investigation for future studies.


Fuerschung an de Verhalensfäegungen déi mat der Pornographie verbonne sinn

Fir Weaver (1993) ass d'Controversie aus dräi Theorien aus de Konsequenze vun der Pornografie exposéiert:

  1. The representation of sexuality as a form of learning in view of the social dogma related to what has long been denied or hidden (liberalization)— inhibition, guilt, puritanical attitudes, fixation on sexuality, all of which can be partly eliminated through pornography (Feshbach, 1955).2 Kutchinsky (1991) reiterated this idea, stating that the rate of sexual assault dropped when pornography was made more readily available, serving as a kind of safety valve that eases sexual tensions and thus reduces the rate of sexual offences. Although highly debatable, what this premise means is that pornography offers a form of learning which, according to the author, offsets the acting out. It is debatable because this argument is also used by proponents of the liberalization of prostitution as a way of potentially reducing the number of sexual assaults (McGowan, 2005; Vadas, 2005). That way of thinking undermines human dignity and what it means to be a person. The bottom line is that people are not commodities;
  2. D'Enthumaniséierung vum Mënsch, Am Géigesaz zu der virdrunner Theorie, a wou Pornografie ass éischt a viru allem Männer misogynistesch Bild vun Fraen (Jensen, 1996, Stoller, 1991);
  3. Desensibilisatioun duerch e Bild dat entsprécht net der Realitéit. Einfach ausgedréckt, Pornografie bitt eng héich Reduktiounistesch Vue op sozial Bezéiungen. Well d'Bild näischt méi ass wéi eng Serie explizit, repetitive an onrealistesch sexuell Szenen, Masturbatioun zu Pornographie ass Deel vun enger Serie vu Verzerrungen an net en Deel vun der Realitéit. Déi Verzerrunge kënne mat dynameschen a statesche kriminogene Variabelen zesummegesat ginn. Heefeg Beliichtung desensibiliséiert d'Persoun andeems hie seng Wäerter a Verhalen no an no ännert wéi d'Reizen méi intensiv ginn (Bushman, 2005; Carich & Calder, 2003; Jansen, Linz, Mulac, & Imrich, 1997; Malamuth, Haber, & Feshbach, 1980; Padgett & Brislin-Slutz, 1989; Silbert & Pines, 1984; Wilson, Colvin, & Smith, 2002; Winick & Evans, 1996; Zillmann & Weaver, 1999).

In short, the research carried out to date has not clearly shown a direct cause-and-effect link between the use of pornographic material and sexual assault, but the fact remains that many researchers agree on one thing: Long-term exposure to pornography material is bound to disinhibit the individual. This was confirmed by Linz, Donnerstein and Penrod in 1984, then Sapolsky the same year, Kelley in 1985, Marshall and then Zillmann in 1989, Cramer, McFarlane, Parker, Soeken, Silva, & Reel in 1998 and, more recently, Thornhill and Palmer in 2001, and Apanovitch, Hobfoll and Salovey in 2002. On the basis of their work, all of these researchers concluded that long-term exposure to pornography has an addictive effect and leads offenders to minimize the violence in the acts they commit.