Violent pornography is being increasingly “foisted upon” young people and it is changing what they consider to be normal sexual behaviour, a GP has warned. 

At today’s IMO conference in Roscommon, medics are due to discuss the impact of pornography on society. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, IMO GP Committee member Dr Madeleine Ní Dhálaigh said she has become hugely worried about what young people are watching. 

“In the last 25-years, there’s been a rapid change in the accessibility of porn for young people,” she said. 

“This porn is increasingly violent and predicated on humiliating, degrading and… serious sexual assaults on mainly the female content maker.

“This is something that is very accessible to our young people.

“It’s not only that they’re seeking it out… but it’s been foisted upon them through links.” 

Dr Ní Dhálaigh added that young women are now under sustained pressure to consent to violent sex acts now considered normal because of pornography. 

“Because they too have been exposed to this material, they are being conditioned to believe that that’s what they should be offering,” she warned. 

“So, it’s a little bit more complex than the pressure - they’re being taught this is normal sexual behaviour and the woman should be submissive and actually be seen to enjoy or accept willingly the physical and sexual violence.” 

Solution

Dr Ní Dhálaigh said people need to put pressure on websites that host pornographic material at least to restrict the access of minors. 

“We need to push back,” she said. 

“If I want to open a Revolut account, I have to show my age, I have to show my passport. 

“There should be age verification and yes, some people will get around it but they will have to seek to get around it. 

“But it won’t be foisted upon them - that’s where the big kicker is.”

Main image: A mobile phone user. Picture by Leon Neal/Getty Images.