Dr. Ibrahim Alhariri

Images have become so extreme that what was once considered extremely explicit pornography is now viewed as ordinary pornography.” – Professor Gail Dines 

Pornography has existed since the dawn of human civilization, appearing in various forms in ancient societies through carvings, artifacts, and writings depicting sexual scenes. However, in the modern era, our world is inundated with pornography due to significant technological and media advancements and the pervasive influence of the Internet. Pornography now pervades advertisements, fashion, films, music, magazines, television, the Internet, video games, mobile devices such as smartphones, and even online image-sharing services. It seems that society has become increasingly accepting of it, with more people in more places consuming pornography at unprecedented levels.

In this research, we will explore the three facets of pornography: the producer, the consumer, and the pornography material itself. Therefore, we need to first understand what defines pornography.

**Pornographic Material:** Any material that stimulates sexual desire directly or indirectly, whether it is printed, visual, or auditory.

**2017 Statistics (Alexa):** 

When discussing this topic in the modern era, we are referring to a broader spread and record-breaking figures that pornography has not seen before. Here are seven facts about pornographic websites that most people on the internet are unaware of, and these numbers are likely to be minimal as many people do not admit to viewing such material:

– **40 Million Websites:** The number of pornographic websites.

– **66%** of pornographic websites do not have an adult content warning.

– **25%** of websites trap visitors when they attempt to leave (redirecting to pornographic links).

– **68 Million Searches Daily:** The number of searches for pornographic websites on search engines.

– **2.5 Billion Pornographic Emails Daily.**

– **30 Million People (Per Second):** More than 30 million people are watching pornography online, with this number not falling below 30 million views per second across all pornographic sites, at a minimum.

– **Every Hour:** On average, two extremely explicit pornographic films are produced in the United States.

– **35%** of all internet downloads are for pornographic material.

– **72 Million Monthly Visitors:** The total number of monthly visitors to pornographic websites exceeds 72 million.

– **89%** of chatroom visitors engage in sexual topics as a form of harassment.

– **20%** of visitors admitted to accessing pornographic sites while at work.

**Daily Statistics:**

– Over 2 million pornographic films are rented daily in the United States alone.

**90% and 60% (Youth Viewing):**

– 90 out of every 100 boys have watched pornographic films before turning 18, while 60 out of every 100 girls have also viewed pornography before reaching 18.

**100 Billion Dollars (Annual Profits):**

Statistics indicate that enormous profits are generated from the pornography industry, disproving the notion that its operators are mere hobbyists or deviant individuals. Instead, it rivals other industries with negative societal impacts, such as tobacco and drug industries. Organized entities, possibly supported by governments due to significant profits, contribute to its promotion under the guise of personal freedom and open policies, ignoring the destructive effects on society and moral values.

– Pornography generates around $13 billion within the United States, making it one of the largest producing countries with substantial direct economic benefits.

**30% and 33% (Internet Content):**

– 33% of internet content is related to pornography, while 33% of downloads from the internet are for products like films and images.

**85% (Non-Cultural):**

– This percentage represents material that bears no relevance to real-life sexual education, contrary to claims by some that pornographic content is a form of sexual culture.

**Children and Pornography:**

– There are over 200,000 pornographic websites containing child pornography.

– The average age of children first exposed to pornography is 11 years.

– 40% of children do not hesitate to share personal and family information online, whether via email or chat rooms.

– Approximately 26 beloved cartoon characters are exploited to lure children to sexual websites.

– 1 in 4 women reports their children being sexually exploited online.

– The estimated annual profit from child sexual exploitation online is $3 billion.

– More than 30,000 obscene images of children are broadcast weekly on the Internet.

**Producer Statistics 2017 (Paul Walsh):**

– About 60% of the world’s pornographic sites – approximately 24 million sites (averaging more than one page per American) – are hosted in the United States. The majority of the pornography industry in the US historically comes from California, with 66% – some people have even dubbed the San Fernando Valley as the “Valley of Porn,” as it is the origin of much pornography.

– The Netherlands ranks second with 27% of pornographic sites, while the United Kingdom is third with 7% of pornographic sites.

– When we say that pornography is everywhere, we truly mean it is everywhere!

**What Domains are Used in Pornographic Websites?**

– **82.5%** of sites use the (.com) domain, giving them a commercial appearance.

– Common domains include (.net, .org, .info, .xxx).

– Some use unusual domains that are often associated with fraud (.xxx, .nx).

**Consumer Statistics 2017 (Paul Walsh):**

– Iraq is the country where people spend the least time on pornographic sites, averaging 5 minutes and 30 seconds, followed by Palestine (5.56), Egypt (6.17), Azerbaijan (6.17), Cuba (6.24), Ukraine (6.30), Sri Lanka (6.32), Jordan (6.40), Belarus (6.42), Bosnia and Herzegovina (6.46), Armenia (6.53), Turkey (6.56), Georgia (6.59), Western Sahara (16.16 minutes), Togo (15.03), China (14.34), Burkina Faso (14.26), the Philippines (14.22), Nepal (13.46), Botswana (13.45), North Korea (13.39), Senegal (13.35), Niger (13.15), Benin (13.08), Madagascar (13.00), Cameroon (13.00), Mauritania (9.31), Sudan (12.04), Qatar (10.20), Bahrain (8.40), UAE (8.28), Yemen (8.27), Saudi Arabia (8.23), Kuwait (8.11), Oman (7.12), Lebanon (9.26), Syria (8.27), Libya (7.55), Tunisia (7.39), Morocco (8.00), and Algeria (8.40 minutes).

– Iran (8.28), the United States (10.17), Canada (9.52), Brazil (7.56), France (9.22), the UK (9.28), Russia (7.46), Sweden (9.09), Norway (9.30), India (8.05), and Australia (9.59).

**How to Break Free from Pornography’s Grip?** 

Judith Reisman testified before the American Senate: “Pornographic images imprint on the brain and cause changes, leaving a chemical, biological, and involuntary memory that is permanent and cannot be erased.” 

“Marriages break down and families are torn apart because of pornography.” 

Those who indulge in pornography often hide this habit through secrecy and deception. It is not surprising that many suffer from isolation, shame, anxiety, depression, and anger. Some even contemplate suicide. The consequences of pornography addiction include:

– Erosion of trust, intimacy, and love between partners.

– Reinforcement of selfishness, detachment, and dissatisfaction with the partner.

– Fueling unhealthy sexual fantasies and desires.

– Tempting individuals to impose inappropriate sexual practices on their partners.

– Encouraging infidelity both emotionally and physically.

**10 Steps to Overcome Pornography Addiction:**

1. **Acknowledge the Problem.**

2. **Set a Plan and Goals that Suit You.**

3. **Make Viewing Difficult for Yourself.**

4. **Avoid Rushing and Gradually Quit.**

5. **Change Your Habits and Associate with Good Friends.**

6. **Engage in Different Activities and Keep Yourself Busy to Avoid Idleness.**

7. **Marry Someone You Love and Engage in Healthy and Appropriate Intimate Relations.**

8. **Join Support Websites for Overcoming Pornography, such as www.antiporngroup.com.**

9. **Rely on Religious and Moral Incentives.**

10. **Seek Professional Help if Necessary.**

**What Can You Do?**

– We cannot effectively combat pornography if we do not understand what happens in this industry and online. Keeping up with these issues is crucial. Although most pornography is hosted in the US, it originates from around the world, and the associated problems are widespread social issues.

– We all need to play our part in overcoming it. After all, pornography is not just an individual issue but a societal and national problem that we must fight with all our strength and effort.