Excessive pornography consumption is a common pathway to online offending
The way people watch pornography has dramatically changed over the past 20 years. Because of the internet, people have moved from videotapes and magazines to easy 24/7 access on their phones. Extreme content is readily available. For some people, this can become devastatingly harmful.
Our Stop It Now helpline (0808 1000 900) gives anonymous, non-judgemental help to people concerned about their own or someone else’s sexual thoughts or behaviour towards children. Every day, our experienced advisors speak to people whose escalating pornography habits have led them to choose to watch child sexual abuse material.
Last year, more than 275,000 people in the UK sought support from our Stop It Now helpline and online self-help about their own or a loved one’s online sexual behaviour towards children – a 26% increase since 2023.
Around 1 in 4 of the people contacting us who had watched child sexual abuse material, or who were at risk of doing so, reported ‘a problem with porn’.
Pornography habits in the UK are changing
For 10 years, we’ve been campaigning to deter people from online child sexual abuse and today, we’re sharing our research that shows a worrying trend in pornography habits. 1 in 5 viewers say the type of sexual content they watch online has become more extreme or aggressive over time. More than a quarter say that their viewing has become more frequent.
It’s possible for people to build a tolerance and become desensitised to the pornography they watch. People share with us that they need to use more extreme content to achieve the same level of gratification. This can include illegal child sexual abuse material.
It’s vital to recognise when a relationship with pornography develops into something more problematic and our campaign is working to raise awareness of the facts.
- Viewing sexual images of under-18s is illegal.
- It causes serious harm to real children.
- It has life-changing consequences including arrest, criminal conviction, being added to the sex offender register, family and career breakdown, housing implications, and even media exposure.
- Our anonymous Stop It Now helpline and online self-help give support to change behaviour.
Get help to change
Our research shows young men are most at risk of developing an unhealthy relationship with pornography.
- 20% aged under 34 said they watch sexual content online every single day.
- more than 40% of men aged 25-34 say their pornography habits have got in the way of day-to-day tasks and activities
- 35% say it has negatively affected their relationships.
If you’re worried about your online behaviour, or about someone close to you, our Stop It Now helpline can give you anonymous advice and support over the phone at 0808 1000 900, or by email, live chat or online.
We're working to spread the word
Today, we’re launching this story in the press to introduce more people to these important messages. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of our Stop It Now deterrence campaign, tackling online child sexual abuse. Through broadcast and print press media, and social media advertising, we deter people from viewing sexual images of children, and from sexual conversations with children online. Over ten years, we’ve worked with a huge range of partners, including police forces, NHS, and other charities, to share messages nationwide that will deter people from harm and protect children.
Since its inception, the campaign has gone from strength to strength, adapting and learning with each new year. We were delighted that this story has received over 150 pieces of media coverage, including Daily Mail, Independent, and The Standard.
We need your help
Here are 3 ways you can support our work to keep children safe:
Get in touch to comment on this campaign, ask questions, or give feedback about our work.
Find out more
We provide a range of services to people who offend, their loved ones, children and professionals to ensure that children are safe from sexual harm.
Our anonymous Stop It Now helpline can support any adult worried about a child or young person’s sexual behaviour.
Our Shore website has anonymous advice and information for teenagers worried about their own or a friend’s sexual behaviour.
