Violent Pornography Linked to Lower Empathy and Poorer Sexual Health, Study Finds

New research from Spain links frequent viewing of violent online pornography among young adults to poorer sexual health, lower empathy and greater acceptance of violence against women. The findings suggest that the specific type of explicit content consumed may influence both emotional well-being and real-life sexual experiences.

The study, titled Violent Content in Online Pornography Is Associated with Sexual Health of Women and Men, was published in the open-access journal Behavioral Sciences. It contributes to an ongoing international debate over how best to regulate explicit online material while protecting both sexual rights and public health.

The World Health Organization defines sexual health as a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality. It includes not only the absence of disease but also skills and capacities that support safe, consensual and satisfying relationships, such as empathy and sexual assertiveness.

Empathy, the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings, supports mutual respect and helps reduce aggressive behaviors in intimate contexts. Sexual assertiveness, meanwhile, reflects a person’s capacity to express desires, initiate wanted encounters and refuse unwanted activity, and has been linked to lower risks of coercion and unsafe sex.

Study design and participants

To explore how different forms of pornography relate to these dimensions of sexual health, public health researcher Belén Sanz-Barbero and colleagues conducted a large online survey in Spain. They focused on 3,607 adults aged 18 to 35, then concentrated their analysis on 1,985 sexually active participants who had viewed pornography during the previous year.

The final sample included 1,249 men and 736 women. Participants answered detailed questions about their pornography habits, sexual satisfaction, sexual functioning and recent diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections, along with standardized measures of empathy, sexual assertiveness and acceptance of violence against women.

To reduce social desirability bias, the researchers avoided graphic terms such as rape and instead described specific sexual scenarios. Respondents indicated how often they watched each type of scene, allowing the researchers to classify consumption without using overtly stigmatizing language.

Types of violent content examined

The team grouped participants according to the most extreme form of pornography they regularly viewed. One group watched pornography without explicit violence, another consumed degrading or humiliating content without physical harm, and a third viewed scenes involving physical violence.

Degrading material included insults, intimidation or strong domination practices that did not visibly cause physical pain. Physically violent content involved nonconsensual acts, the use of force or painful submission, including scenarios that blurred or ignored consent.

In addition to media use, the survey measured levels of empathy, confidence in expressing sexual needs or refusing unwanted activity, and how acceptable participants considered violence against women. Further questions assessed sexual pleasure, frequency of orgasm, difficulties with arousal and the use of sexual enhancement drugs.

High exposure to violent pornography

The study found that consumption of violent pornography was common among this young, sexually active population. More than 63 percent of men and nearly 51 percent of women reported watching pornography depicting physical violence at least sometimes.

Men who viewed physically violent content scored lower on empathy and sexual assertiveness than those who watched only nonviolent pornography. They were less likely to report confidence in refusing unwanted sex or clearly communicating their desires to partners.

Both men and women who watched physically violent pornography were more likely to accept violence against women as tolerable or normal. Men who consumed degrading or humiliating content, even without physical harm, also showed greater acceptance of such violence compared with those who viewed nonviolent material.

Differences in sexual functioning

Researchers observed notable gender differences in sexual functioning and enjoyment. Men who regularly watched physically violent pornography were more likely to describe their sexual encounters as fun and enjoyable than those viewing nonviolent content, suggesting a heightened sense of excitement.

Yet these same men more frequently reported physical discomfort during sex, greater difficulty achieving or maintaining erections and a higher likelihood of using sexual enhancement drugs. These findings align with broader evidence that erectile problems among men under 40 have become more common over recent decades.

The authors suggest that repeated exposure to violent and extreme scenarios may create unrealistic sexual expectations. When real-life experiences fail to match these fantasies, some viewers may experience distress or moral conflict, potentially undermining both arousal and satisfaction.

For women, watching physically violent pornography was associated with greater difficulty reaching orgasm with a partner, while orgasm during solo sexual activity was less affected. This pattern suggests that interpersonal dynamics, communication and gaps between expectations and experience may play a more significant role than purely physiological factors.

Links to infections and risk behavior

The survey also examined recent diagnoses of sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, human papillomavirus and gonorrhea. Men and women who consumed violent pornography reported higher rates of these infections compared with participants who watched nonviolent content.

However, once researchers adjusted for demographic variables such as age, number of sexual partners and relationship status, these differences were no longer statistically significant. This suggests that although an association may exist, violent pornography use is unlikely to be the sole driver of infection risk.

Other research has found that some patterns of pornography use correlate with riskier sexual behaviors, including inconsistent condom use or multiple concurrent partners. The Spanish study adds nuance by highlighting how the specific nature of the content, rather than overall viewing alone, might be connected to behaviors that affect sexual health.

Limits and possible explanations

Because the study was cross-sectional, it cannot determine whether violent pornography causes changes in empathy, assertiveness or sexual functioning. It is also possible that people with pre-existing characteristics, such as lower empathy or greater sexual difficulties, are more likely to seek out extreme content to achieve arousal.

The authors reference psychological theories of empathy and media consumption, which propose that viewers may selectively identify with one person in a sexual scene. This selective identification can reduce empathy for others in the scenario, particularly if the preferred character is portrayed as dominating or harming a partner.

Men with naturally lower empathy might therefore gravitate toward content that reinforces detachment from women’s experiences, while women may engage differently with such scenes or possess stronger emotional coping strategies. Cultural norms and gender socialization are also likely to influence these responses.

The study also depends on accurate self-reporting of sensitive behaviors. Even with efforts to minimize bias, participants may understate their exposure to socially disapproved material or exaggerate positive qualities such as empathy and respect for partners.

Implications for policy and education

Despite these limitations, the research adds to a growing body of evidence that not all pornography has the same associations with well-being. Violent and degrading content appears more closely linked to lower empathy, weaker sexual assertiveness and attitudes that are more accepting of gender-based violence.

Public health experts say the findings underscore the need for comprehensive sex education that addresses digital media, consent and critical thinking about sexual scripts. Helping young people recognize how extreme content can distort expectations may support healthier boundaries and more respectful relationships.

Future longitudinal studies following viewers over time will be crucial for clarifying cause-and-effect relationships. Researchers are particularly interested in how early exposure during adolescence might shape later patterns of intimacy, empathy and sexual satisfaction in adulthood.

Article prepared by Dr. Alex Morgan.