My House - Diocesan Anti-Pornography Initiative

How Pornography Hurts Our Society

There was a time when pornography was found only in the shadows of society. Now it has made its way into the American mainstream. What is of even greater concern is that it has also made its way into our homes through cable television and the internet. And if you think this trend is harmless, think again.

Pornography damages society. It desensitizes us as individuals and as a culture to the violence toward the human person that comes from inappropriate sexual expression. It also creates an ever-escalating climate in which the guardians of popular culture, especially those in the entertainment industry, continuously push the boundaries of proper behavior.

The harmful effects of this chipping away at the decency of our society over the past thirty years are many. Following are just a few:

• Increased incidents of rape and other sexual assaults
• The increased exploitation of children
• Increase in the abortion rate
• Increase in the divorce rate
• Increase in extra-marital affairs
• The increased vulgarity on television, in magazines and in film
• The general coarsening of American culture

If you would like to learn more about how pornography damages society, we urge you to follow this link to the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and Families: www.nationalcoalition.org.