JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Since the rise of freely accessible pornographic streaming websites, pornography consumption (PC) has become normative and widespread globally. In Flanders, exposure to pornography before the age of 13 has tripled over the past decade, and frequent use—particularly among young men—is common. While PC may offer benefits related to body satisfaction, self-exploration, and self-esteem, robust evidence on its effects on sexual development and later sexual wellbeing (SWb) remains scarce. Public debates are polarized, oscillating between moral panic and outright dismissal of potential risks. Care providers and child helplines report a growing number of young people seeking help for pornography-related concerns, including self-perceived porn-induced sexual dysfunctions. Adolescents and young adults (AYA) from diverse backgrounds express a clear need for guidance in navigating sexually explicit media, especially where communication with parents, teachers, or healthcare providers is difficult.

Objective:

This project aims to generate evidence-based insights into the complex relationships between pornography consumption, sexual development, and sexual wellbeing in young people. The goal is to inform education, prevention, and care practices by producing actionable knowledge that supports adolescents and young adults in navigating sexually explicit media in ways that promote their sexual wellbeing within an ethnically and sexually diverse society.

Methods:

The project is structured around four interconnected work packages (WPs), each addressing pornography consumption in a distinct societal domain: (1) pornography and its intersections with societal norms and inequalities; (2) pornography within the context of sexual development within families; (3) pornography’s role in healthcare contexts relating to sexual wellbeing; and (4) the development of evidence-based pornography literacy tools for education and prevention. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the project will integrate systematic scoping reviews, a nationally representative quantitative survey, laboratory studies, in-depth interviews and focus groups, and co-creation with key societal stakeholders. The research commenced in January 2025 and will continue until December 2028.

Results:

The project has secured funding and is currently underway. While no empirical findings are yet available, the anticipated outcomes include a nuanced understanding of how PC shapes sexual development and wellbeing across different contexts and populations in Flanders. The project will deliver practical resources for education, healthcare, and policy, and will contribute to reducing stigma and misinformation around pornography use.

Conclusions:

This multidisciplinary, multistakeholder research will advance both scientific and societal knowledge in a field marked by polarization and limited empirical grounding. By addressing the realities of PC in an ethnically and sexually diverse society, the project aims to contribute to more inclusive, evidence-based approaches in sexual health education, healthcare provision, and policy development, ultimately fostering the sexual wellbeing of adolescents and young adults.