How the pornography industry is normalising and monetising sexual violence
(Trigger warning: This report includes mention of sexual violence, rape, grooming, incest, child sexual abuse, drug misuse and suicide.)
CEASE’s Profits Before People report draws from peer reviewed research, survivor testimonies, journalism, and reports from organisations working on the front line to evidence the individual, relational and social impact of the pornography industry.
Written by our Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Gemma Kelly, the report shines a light on the abuse and exploitation that women and girls are subjected to within the pornography industry, and the trafficking and coercion that often leads to their involvement.
It details the damaging effects of pornography to individuals and society, exploring how pornography shapes the sexual scripts of both adults and children, normalises violence against women and girls, grooms men and boys to perpetrate sexual violence, and has contributed to child-on-child sexual abuse. It also highlights the impact of consuming pornography on the human brain and how users can escalate to consuming more violent and deviant content, including child sexual abuse material. In some cases, viewers may go on to perpetrate further forms of child sexual abuse and exploitation both online and offline.
New forms of harm are outlined such as image-based sexual abuse including deepfake pornography, virtual reality pornography, and the growing threat of AI to women and children’s safety, both online and offline.
Gemma says:
“At CEASE we come from the standpoint that pornography is a form of commercial sexual exploitation and a form of violence against often the most vulnerable women and girls. The Profits Before People report lays bare the role of the companies who profit from this exploitation and violence, and their wilful avoidance of regulation and accountability.”
Dr Lucie Moore, Chief Executive of CEASE, said:
“This report reveals the reality of online pornography. It is a distressing read, covering exploitation, sexual violence, racism, incest, child sexual abuse and human trafficking. But it is vital that we don’t look away. Now is the time to demand change.”
CEASE’s Profits Before People report is an unflinching examination of the harms of pornography and the damage it is having on generations of children. It is a rallying call for legislators and technology companies to take responsibility for the impact of online content and ensure that the rules of what is acceptable offline also apply to what is acceptable online.
Lord Bethell, Member of the House of Lords