Two-thirds of young adults have seen violent pornography, often as kids

More than two-thirds of young adults, often while still minors, have been exposed to violent pornographic images, a study by the Verwey-Jonker Institute, carried out for the children’s rights organisation Defence for Children has found.

The study also shows that nearly one in four of the more than 1,000 respondents encountered such material unintentionally at age 14 or younger, while one in six actively searched for it. In addition, almost a quarter of respondents aged 18 to 27 said they had been exposed to images of child sexual abuse.

Respondents who encountered this type of content often reported being disturbed by its violent nature, describing emotions such as disgust, shame, fear, and sadness. Defence for Children says that exposure to sexual violence can negatively affect the sexual development of children and young adults and may contribute to mental health issues.

The researchers define violence as including incest, sexual assault, physical and verbal abuse, coercion, revenge, and exploitation. They also categorise consensual forms of rough or violent sexual activity, such as BDSM (bondage, discipline, and sadomasochism), under this umbrella. Viewers often find it “difficult to distinguish between consensual BDSM and non-consensual violent pornography,” according to the study.

Defence for Children says the issue stems from a digital environment that fails to adequately protect young users. According to the organisation, chat apps, social media platforms, games, and websites are insufficiently monitored, allowing young people to be rapidly exposed, after viewing legal content, to violent, harmful, and illegal sexual material. It is therefore urging stricter supervision and stronger enforcement targeting harmful algorithms and unlawful content.

“Children and young people must be able to move safely in the digital world, just as they do in the physical world,” said Carrie van der Kroon. “The responsibility for what content a child sees does not lie with the child. It lies with the tech companies that allow this content and let their platforms become polluted.”