Thank You Nick For The Truth – Porn Harms

Media Release 6 March 2016
Family First NZ is thanking Nick Willis for lifting the lid on the harms of pornography, saying that his honesty is a ‘reality check’ for society and that it takes ‘a real man’ to front up to the harm that porn does.
“The porn industry pedals the myth that porn is harmless, But society is fortunately being woken up to the fact that pornography is harmful and leads to addictions, broken marriages, increased sexual violence, child sexual abuse, sex trafficking and prostitution. Even those in the industry admit that its becoming more extreme,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.
“Nick’s honesty and bravery will be the catalyst for a national conversation on the harms of pornography and will hopefully be an incentive for other men who struggle to seek help.”
“Part of this societal change is happening because social scientists, clinical psychologists, biologists and neurologists are now beginning to understand the psychological and biological negative effects of viewing pornography. They show that men who view pornography regularly have a higher tolerance for abnormal sexuality, including rape, sexual aggression, and sexual promiscuity. Prolonged consumption of pornography results in stronger perceptions of women as commodities or as “sex objects,” says Mr McCoskrie.
A 2002 meta-analysis by the National Foundation for Family Research and Education (NFFRE) at the University of Calgary found that viewing pornography leads to perceptions of sexual dominance, sex role stereotyping, viewing persons as sexual objects, sexual aggressiveness, and sexually hostility and violent behaviours. A 2013 study by Cambridge University found that porn addiction leads to the same brain activity as alcoholism or drug abuse. And a recent study out of Indiana University and the University of Hawaii at Manoa which was a meta-analysis assessing 22 different studies from seven different countries around the world found that internationally the consumption of pornography was associated significantly with both verbal and physical aggression among males and females alike.
Research has shown that children who are exposed to pornography develop skewed ideas about sex and sexuality, which lead to negative stereotypes of women, sexual activity at a young age, experiment with drink and drugs and indulge in sexting, and increased aggression in boys.
La Trobe University in Australia said; “This is not about couples going to the porn store to spice up their sex lives. Men in growing numbers are using porn in ways that are secret, shameful and damaging. It is having a damaging impact on intimacy and sexuality.” 
“Thank you Nick Willis for being a real man, fronting up to the issue with brutal honesty, and reminding us all that yes – porn harms.”
ENDS