We’ve never talked to them about sex. In our culture we do not have that conversation. [footnote 74]

Across the range of Frontline Workers interviewed, it was evident that not all clients experience this process of detachment and escalation of pornography use, and the resulting behaviours to the same extent. We hear things like] it does not matter if her face is ‘tapped out’ [she is ugly], as long as she has a big bum and boobs. [footnote 1]

Prause, N., et al. (2015). Modulation of late positive potentials by sexual images in problem users and controls inconsistent with "porn addiction."

If you had to sum up the impact of porn on attitudes and behaviours towards women and girls, what would you say?Sexual preoccupation was frequently cited by the majority of Frontline Workers across different fields. This characteristic can lead individuals to pursue sex or sexual acts with aggression. Participants believed that while not all individuals who suffer from sexual preoccupation will ever go on to harm another person, if there are other factors in their lives that do not prevent them from acting on their desires (such as childhood trauma, social isolation), this can be a major contributor to sexual aggression. They view progressively more extreme pornography to get the same release that less extreme porn once offered. Introduction to the research, detailing that this is a project funded by the Government Equalities Office

how does it interact with some of the other factors you spoke about (drawing explicitly on specific topics mentioned, drawing on personal, social, media and cultural). They experience an increase in sexual dysfunction, such as trouble maintaining an erection or lubricating before sex.Movie day at the Supreme Court or "I know it when I see it": A history of the definition of obscenity. (2016). An addiction is more than just an intense interest in something. It is a medical condition that changes the brain and the body and causes the person to feel compelled to continue using a substance or partaking in an activity, even when doing so may cause harm. The OPA only covers material which is distributed in England and Wales, and so is not applicable to the majority of online pornography which, though accessed in the UK, is produced internationally. Both the EP and the IPIC provisions are possession offences, meaning that they apply to people in England and Wales who possess such material irrespective of where it has been produced or hosted. These are the primary pieces of legislation covering what pornography is and is not legal to access online. [footnote 6]

Pornography] definitely creates a fertile ground for sexual violence… but someone could watch porn all day, every day and never cause anyone harm. [footnote 28]Many porn users claim that their use improves their relationships, and in some cases, their well-being. Some older research supports this claim. Some potential psychological benefits include: Increased access to diverse sexual material For more detail on the current landscape of porn regulation in England and Wales, including gaps, see Vera-Gray, Fiona and Clare McGlynn. “Regulating Pornography: Developments in evidence, theory and law.” In Research Handbook on Gender, Sexuality and Law, edited by Chris Ashford and Alexander Maine. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, forthcoming 2019. ↩ It is worth noting that while this report may refer to the attitudes and behaviours as discrete groups, this is for the sake of ease in discussion and to highlight the wide range of harmful sexual attitudes and behaviours discussed. In reality, these attitudes and behaviours are highly interrelated, with varying levels of severity and co-occurrence. 3. The relationship between pornography use and harmful sexual behaviours Watching pornography may make sex feel less intimidating, especially to people who have little exposure to sex and sexual material. Sexual empowerment