“Porn is harmless!”

“Who cares if I watch porn? It’s my choice what I watch and it doesn’t affect anyone but me!”

“My partner doesn’t care, in fact they like it because it makes our sex life better.”

“It’s just sex. What’s the big deal?”

Do these comments sound familiar? Have you said them yourself in order to justify (as if there was a need to do so…right?) watching porn? During my many years addicted to pornography, I certainly said similar things to myself.

The phrase “Porn is harmless” is by far the most common one I have heard and it is a widespread belief that this is the case. Surface level thinking. If two (or more) people want to engage in a sexual activity, film or take pictures of it, and then share it with the world then they should be allowed to do so. And if someone in the world wants to watch it then they should likewise be allowed to do so.

And honestly, I do agree with freedom of choice between CONSENTING ADULTS, even if I don’t agree with the choice.

HOWEVER …

The unfortunate reality is that for many of the people engaged in performing pornographic content, the choice was made for them … not by them. Sure, they may be smiling on camera, but the camera doesn’t tell the whole story. It doesn’t even BEGIN to tell the story. The adults – IF the performers are indeed adults – are more often than not NOT consenting freely to what they are doing.

The percentage of legitimate pornographic content (ie: consensual professional or amateur (think OnlyFans) pales in comparison to the amount of amateur and non consensual pornography. According to several non-profits who deal specifically with the porn industry and porn addiction, as much as 96% of all pornographic content is some form of coercion, and much of it borders on, if not actually is, rape. Much of it is produced by sex traffickers who have lured people into the industry with a promise of a modelling or acting job. It is true that some of the individuals know full well that they are going to be nude or in suggestive/sexual positions…BUT there is a line that the traffickers will make them edge closer to, and eventually are forcing them to perform things they did not sign up for.

For example, you can find stock photos (such as the one above) that deal with sex specifically or sexual issues broadly. They are professionally created in a safe space and there will be contracts signed ensuring the models will be paid for their work. Professional modelling jobs and acting roles that require these kind of things are not pornographic persay (though that is a subjective opinion for some). However, for every one of these kinds of pictures, there are millions, if not billions, of others that have been taken (or at least published) without consent (or with reluctant or coerced consent), without safety and without professional boundaries. This is where the images could be a part of a trafficking situation.

Consensual vs non consensual is a BIG deal when it comes to sexual activity. That is a no-brainer. But how does that apply to pornography that, by all accounts, is believed to be consensual?
According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, forced participation in pornography is the 3rd most common form of sex trafficking after escort services and elicit massages. Those forms of trafficking are a subject for another day.

However, it is important to realize that when you watch porn you are contributing to the demand for sex trafficking. And by contributing to the demand, you are contributing to the need for supply.

Richard Elkin is the founder of One In A Million Inc. ; a registered 501c3 dedicated to combatting human trafficking through Education, Collaboration and Restoration. The opinions shared in this blog are formed based on personal experience, research and faith based beliefs.