No one has ever proved a direct link between pornography and sexual violence. So, there’s no reason to make a big deal out of this, right?
While it’s true that “scientific proof” establishing a direct connection between pornography use and rape doesn’t exist, research has made it clear that the use of pornography is a factor in shaping the attitude and behaviors in some men who use it and that it is a factor in some men’s sexual aggression. Scholars may differ about the specific nature of pornography’s effects, but no one can argue pornography’s articulation of the myths about rape, nor doubt the influence mass media has on behavior. That’s why businesses worldwide spend more than $400 billion a year on advertising, many with sexualized images and messages.
