The Porn Epidemic Continues to Explode

The following is from an article posted on January 20, 2024, by the Daily Mail in the UK:

“Almost two thirds of young people are now addicted to online pornography, according to a leading mental health and addiction clinic. Paracelsus Recovery said research on patients referred for treatment suggested that porn addiction is significantly more prevalent than official numbers suggest… the firm, which is based in Zurich and London, warned it had seen a 150 per cent increase in the number of people being treated for porn addiction between 2019 and 2023. Children are being exposed to online pornography from as young as nine, according to a recent study for the children’s commissioner for England. The United Kingdom has the second highest incidence of internet pornography searches in the world, with an average of 16,600,000 searches for porn taking place each month. The adult film industry is estimated to be worth more than £15billion a year.”

Notice they said “two thirds of our youth are addicted.” Not just looking at pictures, but hooked on porn. This wouldn’t include those who are still casual porn users or involved with other forms of sexual sin such as sexting and promiscuity.

This follows the article from the Christian Institute I posted last week:
“More than half of child abuse cases in England and Wales are now committed by other children, amid the online pornography epidemic. The National Analysis of Police-Recorded Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation Report found that 52 per cent of 106,984 offences recorded by 42 police forces in 2022 were committed by ten to 17-year-olds, at an average age of 14.” The report called it a “growing and concerning trend (previously thought to be a third) involving a wide range of offending” from sharing indecent images to rape. National Police Lead for Child Protection Ian Critchley said the problem is being exacerbated due to children’s accessibility to smartphones and the “ease in which violent pornography is accessible to boys”.”

My American friends, remember that the US has triple the porn consumption of our friends in the UK. Our need to take significant action in the sexual arena is no less desperate.

Are we, the church going to do anything about epidemic of porn and sexual sin? Even the word “crisis” feels like an understatement. Are we going to put it out there from our pulpits, speak openly about it in our youth groups, equip parents? Will we say something to the leadership in our churches and youth groups?

Or will we assume the position:

I will not watch our youth and our adults continue to get mauled by the sexual sin that is destroying lives without doing what I can. I hope many of you will step up too.