Fifty Shades of Truth: Shocking Research Facts about Sex & Porn
With the movie, “Fifty Shades of Grey” coming out, people are starting to talk about topics of sexuality more. It seems like almost every magazine in my local grocery store is doing a featured article on how “sex-whips” and porn can increase your sexual satisfaction. Unfortunately, none of this syncs with the research on sexual fulfillment.
In my book Pharisectomy, I cite all sorts of interesting stats. But the study that most people ask me about is the one where I mention that “church-going women have significantly higher orgasm rates than the general population.” Little do people know, that’s just one out of many shocking stats that I’ve compiled.
So, to stimulate your mind, here are 50 research facts about sex and porn that will forever change the way you see the world (for the better and worse)!
1. Being married to a porn viewer increases your odds of depression by 43%.[i]
2. Consistent church attendees have a significantly higher frequency and intensity of orgasms than the general population of the U.S.[ii]
3. Contrary to public perception, married couples enjoy sex significantly more than unmarried singles – by a factor of 22%![iii]
4. Women generally experience a forty-percent reduction in self-esteem after marrying a man who views porn.[iv]
5. Although consistent church attendees have the highest sexual satisfaction rates of any demographic in the U.S., ironically, inconsistent church attendees have the lowest satisfaction rates. [v]
6. “Testing out a partner” for marriage by having pre-marital sex increases the odds of divorce to 75%.[vi]
7. Because church attendees have more frequent orgasms, this tends to increase fertility, and decrease osteoporosis, migraines, and heart disease in church-going women.[vii]
8. Twenty percent of internet porn comes from coerced or trafficked children[viii] — revealing that internet porn use directly supports child sex trafficking.
9. Men who use porn report”increased interest in coercing partners into unwanted sex acts.”[ix]
10. 18.3% of American women have already been raped – almost half of which happened when they were under age eighteen.[x]
11. 88.2% of “top rated” porn films contain aggressive acts: (E.g., Over 41.1% of top rated porn scenes contain open-hand slapping.) [xi]
12. Consistent church goers not only experience more personal satisfaction but also rate their sex partners as “extremely enjoyable” significantly more often than other demographics.[xii]
13. 30% of online porn consumers are women – 17% of these women are “addicted.”[xiii]
14. Following first exposure, the largest consumer group of internet pornography is boys between the ages of 12-17.[xiv]
15. The earlier a person is exposed to porn, the more likely they are to develop sexual compulsions and addictive behaviors.[xv]
16. Men who use porn report “decreased empathy for rape victims as well has higher levels of anger at women who flirt but then refuse to have sex.” [xvi]
17. A lack of prior sexual experiences and partners actually increases odds of sexual satisfaction – contrary to the myth that having more partners increases sexual responsiveness and pleasure.[xvii]
18. Men who have pre-marital sex are more than four times more likely to have affairs than men who do not.[xviii]
19. Women who have pre-marital sex are more than eight times more likely to have affairs than women who do not.[xix]
20. After analysis, less than 9.9% of the top selling porn films contained behaviors such as kissing, laughing, caressing, or verbal compliments.[xx]
21. With an annual profit of over $13 billion each year, the porn industry reaps almost double the profit of all hollywood film companies put together;[xxi]
22. Men who use porn are more likely to believe that “a woman who dresses provocatively deserves to be raped.”[xxii]
23. If your spouse views porn, you are twenty-two percent more likely to have a food addiction or eating disorder.[xxiii]
24. Men who consistently attend church are 7.1% more likely to feel “thrilled and excited” during intercourse than men who never “worship.”[xxiv]
25. The Porn industry also has larger revenues than the top technology companies (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo, Apple and Netflix) combined.[xxv]
26. Currently, there’s an unprecedented 120 million girls who’ve been sexually abused or raped before age twenty.[xxvi]
27. The more passionate a woman is about her faith, the more likely she is to enjoy sex.[xxvii]
28. 90% of kids, (ages 8 to 16 years old) have viewed porn online.[xxviii]
29. 20% of kids have witnessed or discovered their father masturbating before age 18.[xxix]
30. Sex outside of marriage has a strong correlation with chronic anxiety and depression.[xxx]
31. “Men who use porn report decreased sexual interest in their girlfriends or wives.”[xxxi]
32. If we added the revenues of porn in China, S.Korea, Japan, & US, it would equal 86.4 billion/year![xxxii]
33. 25% of all internet searches in the U.S. are porn related.[xxxiii]
34. Couples who have sex outside of marriage are twice as likely to experience physical abuse[xxxiv]
35. 11% of kids have been recruited or involved in keeping a parent’s sexual addiction a secret.[xxxv]
36. Ironically, Christian women feel far less sexually inhibited and guilty than non-religious women, suggesting that church attendance actually decreases “sexual guilt” over time.[xxxvi]
37. 26% of kids have witnessed or discovered their father having multiple affairs before age 18.[xxxvii]
38. The American porn industry grosses more revenue than the Ntl Football League, Major League Baseball and NBA sports put together.[xxxviii]
39. 94% of kids reported having a “difficulty trusting others” after discovering a parent’s sex or porn addiction.[xxxix]
40. 13% of women and 6% of men reported that they experienced sexual coercion at some time in their lives.[xl]
41. Pre-marital sex doubles the odds of a person getting stuck in an emotionally abusive relationship.[xli]
42. Consistent church attendance is one of the greatest ways to reduce odds of adultery. Weekly attendees reduce the odds by at least half.[xlii]
43. The more often a person has sex outside of marriage, the more likely a person is to be sexually dissatisfied.[xliii]
44. In a study of undergraduate women, 19% “experienced, attempted, or completed” a sexual assault since entering college.[xliv]
45. 80% of people who have “cyber-sex” will eventually have a “face-to-face” encounter.[xlv]
46. Couples who wait to have sex, rate their relational satisfaction at least 20% higher than couples who don’t.[xlvi]
47. Married couples were significantly more likely to experience a feeling of “love and acceptance” during sex those who have sex outside of marriage.[xlvii]
48. Porn related businesses dramatically decrease property values and increase crime.[xlviii]
49. The younger a person engages in pre-marital sex, the likelihood of a stable or lasting marriage significantly drops.[xlix]
50. 75% of married porn addicts virtually stop having sex with their spouses.[l]
But what does all of this mean? Feel free to read my blog: “Why Church Attendees have the Best Sex of Any Demographic.” I explain 3 huge reasons why everyone should consider a new worldview on sex.
Lastly, make sure you come join thousands of others at SubstanceChurch.com for our new teaching series: “Too Many Shades of Grey.” It’s perfect for anyone who’d love to take their sex lives to a whole new level.
Lastly, feel free to retweet or repost any of these stats! Here’s the shortened link: http://ow.ly/3wBbGF
For a Pdf version of this: Fifty Shades of Truth – download
Citations:
[i] Douglass Weiss, Partners: Healing from His Addiction (Discovery Press, 2011).
[ii] See link to study here: http://popcenter.uchicago.edu/data/nhsls.shtml
Also, This study has been quoted in many places: http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/07/19/the_family_research_council_argues_that_christians_have_more_orgasmic_frequent.html – Also see the University Chicago Study: “The Social Organization of Sexuality”
[iii] To be specific: The 1992 “National Health and Social Life Survey” found that 88 percent of always-married people enjoy having intercourse with their current sex partner extremely or very much. Compare that to 72 percent of divorced or separated people and 66 percent of single people. linked here: http://popcenter.uchicago.edu/data/nhsls.shtml
[iv] Douglass, Weiss, Partners: Healing from His Addiction (Colorado Springs: Discovery Press, 1998).
as quoted in, Douglas Weiss, PhD. “Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity” (Thomas Nelsen, 2013) pp. 69-74.
[v] Some have suggested this is because, loosely committed Christians know their sex lives could be better (as they interact with some of the most orgasmic people in the U.S.). However, they also don’t live-out the other Christian values that are known to improve sexual satisfaction (like avoiding porn and extra-marital sex) – See the article: “Do Christians Have Better Sex” – Amanda Hess; JULY 19 2013 1:23 PM – Slate – linked: http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/07/19/the_family_research_council_argues_that_christians_have_more_orgasmic_frequent.html ALSO, see http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF12J10.pdf
[vi] Dr. H. Norman Wright, renowned marriage and family therapist, found that “testing out a partner” sexually increases divorce odds to 75% (see One Marriage Under God, Pg. 100, Multnomah Publishers Inc. 2005).
[vii] See http://www.floliving.com/top-10-health-benefits-of-orgasm-for-women/#.VNEi2t70X9I
[viii] National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 2013. – Close to half of all trafficked women are forced to do pornography; see, http://humantraffickingsearch.net/wp/the-connection-between-sex-trafficking-and-pornography/
[ix] See Bridges, A., & Wosnitzer, R. (2007). Aggression and sexual behavior in best-selling pornography: A content analysis update. International Communication Association.
[x] As reported in a 2012 Center For Disease Control study – linked here: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/sv-datasheet-a.pdf
[xi]Bridges, A., & Wosnitzer, R. (2007). Aggression and sexual behavior in best-selling pornography: A content analysis update. International Communication Association. Also see: Malamuth, N. (1986). Repeated exposure to violent and nonviolent pornography: Likelihood of raping ratings and laboratory aggression against women. Aggressive Behavior, 12(2), 129–137.
[xii] The 1992 “National Health and Social Life Survey,” linked here: http://popcenter.uchicago.edu/data/nhsls.shtml
[xiii] See Marriage and Religious Institute – downloads.frc.org/EF/EF13G48.pptx
[xiv] Cited on http://stoppornculture.org/about/about-the-issue/facts-and-figures-2/
[xv]Dr. Douglass Weiss, PhD., Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity: Thomas Nelson, 2013; (pg. 15).
[xvi] See Bridges, A., & Wosnitzer, R. (2007). Aggression and sexual behavior in best-selling pornography: A content analysis update. International Communication Association.
[xvii] Reported by David Larson of the National Institute for Health Care Research.
[xviii] Dr. H. Norman Wright, “One Marriage Under God”, Pg. 100, Multnomah Publishers Inc. 2005).
[xix] Dr. H. Norman Wright, “One Marriage Under God”, Pg. 100, Multnomah Publishers Inc. 2005).
[xx]Bridges, A., & Wosnitzer, R. (2007). Aggression and sexual behavior in best-selling pornography: A content analysis update. International Communication Association. Also see: Malamuth, N. (1986). Repeated exposure to violent and nonviolent pornography: Likelihood of raping ratings and laboratory aggression against women. Aggressive Behavior, 12(2), 129–137.
[xxi](Bridges and Wosnitzer, 2007).
[xxii]Repeated exposure to violent and nonviolent pornography: Likelihood of raping ratings and laboratory aggression against women. Aggressive Behavior, 12(2), 129–137.
[xxiii] Douglas Weiss, PhD. “Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity” (Thomas Nelsen, 2013) pp. 69-74.
[xxiv] See Marriage and Religious Institute : http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF12I27.pdf
[xxv](IFR, 2006) – Also see: www.StopPornCulture.org (http://stoppornculture.org/about/about-the-issue/facts-and-figures-2/)
[xxvi] As reported by news anchor, Mike Embley, BBC World News, interviewing Susan Bissell – Global Head of UNICEF; September 4th, 2014.
[xxvii] Carol Tavris and Susan Sadd, The Redbook Report on Female Sexuality (New York: Delacorte Press, 1977).
[xxviii] Most of these exposures happened while doing homework – Dr. Douglass Weiss, PhD., Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity: Thomas Nelson, 2013; (pg. 17).
[xxix] See Douglass, Weiss, Beyond the Bedroom: Healing for Adult Children of Sex Addicts (Colorado Springs: Discovery Press, 2005). As quoted in Dr. Douglass Weiss, PhD., Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity: Thomas Nelson, 2013; (pg. 77).
[xxx] One Marriage Under God, Dr. H.Norman Wright, pg. 100
[xxxi] See Bridges, A., & Wosnitzer, R. (2007). Aggression and sexual behavior in best-selling pornography: A content analysis update. International Communication Association.
[xxxii]See Dr. Douglass Weiss, PhD., Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity: Thomas Nelson, 2013; (pg. 7).
[xxxiii](IFR, 2006). Over 68 million a day at the time of the study.
[xxxiv] “A Comparison of Assaults in Dating, Cohabitating and Married Couples, “Journal of Family Violence, vol.41 (1989): 39. Also, “Bureau of Justice Statistics,” U.S. Department of Justice. Http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/cv73.95htm (Accessed April 4, 2003).
[xxxv] See Dr. Douglass Weiss, PhD., Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity: Thomas Nelson, 2013; (pg. 76).
[xxxvi] Both a 1982 UCLA study and a University of Connecticut study both discovered this. Researchers suggest this may be due to the fact that non-religious women are more aware of the increased sexual risks they’re taking (e.g., exposure to sexually transmitted diseases, or potential rape or abuse from lesser known partners, etc).
[xxxvii] See Douglass, Weiss, Beyond the Bedroom: Healing for Adult Children of Sex Addicts (Colorado Springs: Discovery Press, 2005). As quoted in Dr. Douglass Weiss, PhD., Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity: Thomas Nelson, 2013; (pg. 77).
[xxxviii](IFR, 2006) – Also see: www.StopPornCulture.org (http://stoppornculture.org/about/about-the-issue/facts-and-figures-2/)
[xxxix] See Dr. Douglass Weiss, PhD., Clean: A Proven Plan for Men Committed to Sexual Integrity: Thomas Nelson, 2013; (pg. 79).
[xl] As reported in a 2012 Center For Disease Control study – linked here: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/sv-datasheet-a.pdf
[xli] “A Comparison of Assaults in Dating, Cohabitating and Married Couples, “Journal of Family Violence, vol.41 (1989): 39. Also, “Bureau of Justice Statistics,” U.S. Department of Justice. Http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/cv73.95htm (Accessed April 4, 2003).
[xlii] ” the incidence of adultery is lowest among those who worship weekly (12.4 percent), compared to those who worship less than weekly but at least monthly (17.1 percent), less than monthly (20.6 percent), or never (24.8 percent) – see: Marriage and Religion Research Institute, “The Benefits of Religious Worship: Positive Outcomes Associated with Weekly Worship,” (2011): 8. Available at www.marri.us/benefits-religious-worship. Accessed July 3, 2012.
[xliii] A study quoted by Linda J. Waite & Maggie Gallagher, Talk (Oct.2000), p.155
[xliv] As reported in a 2012 Center For Disease Control study – linked here: http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/sv-datasheet-a.pdf
[xlv] See Marriage and Religious Institute – downloads.frc.org/EF/EF13G48.pptx
[xlvi] Dean Busby, Jason Carroll, and Brian Willoughby, “Compatibility or Restraint? The Effects of Sexual Timing on Marriage Relationships,” Journal of Family Psychology 24, no. 6 (December 2010): 766-774.
[xlvii] The variance between the two groups was larger than 30% – See the research of Althea Nagai, Ph.D. – Marriage and Religion Research Institute
http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF13G28.pdf
[xlviii] See Marriage and Religious Institute – downloads.frc.org/EF/EF13G48.pptx
[xlix] See Marriage and Religious Institute – downloads.frc.org/EF/EF13G48.pptx
[l] See Marriage and Religious Institute – downloads.frc.org/EF/EF13G48.pptx
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