Often, churches can promote unrealistic views and assumptions about pornography, like porn use being solely a “man’s struggle” or having an absolute ability to quit using porn through willpower alone. To help Christian leaders better navigate these conversations, let’s take a closer look at three common beliefs about pornography, from Barna’s Beyond the Porn Phenomenon study produced in partnership with Pure Desire Ministries.

Misconception 1: Pornography Is a Man’s Battle

Barna data reveals 70 percent of U.S. adults agree “men are more likely than women to struggle with porn addiction.” While pornography use is more prevalent among men, a notable number of women are porn consumers, and this number is rising steadily. In Barna’s 2015 study, 39 percent of women said they consume pornography. Today, that number sits at 44 percent. It’s also important to know that men and women cite different reasons for using pornography. Boredom, anxiety and entertainment are significantly more common reasons for porn use among men compared to women. Women are more likely than men to report using pornography to set the mood with a spouse or romantic partner.

Misconception 2: Pornography Doesn’t Affect One’s Sexual Health or Relationships

Most U.S. adults (67%) believe “a person can both regularly view pornography and live a sexually healthy life.” However, the data tells a different story, revealing significant negative impacts on both individual well-being and relationships. Those who don’t use pornography consistently report higher levels of positive well-being compared to porn users. The largest discrepancies appear in feeling life has purpose (64% of porn users vs. 75% of nonusers), accomplishing goals (59% vs. 64%) and feeling prepared for everyday life (60% vs. 68%).

Furthermore, porn users report higher scores in every negative well-being category, with notable differences in self-criticism (47% of porn users vs. 34% of nonusers), perfectionism (31% vs. 18%) and fear of failure (37% vs. 25%). They also experience higher levels of anxiety about important decisions, feeling easily overwhelmed and depression.

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The impact extends to relationships as well. Among U.S. adults who’ve had a partner or spouse use porn, women in this group report feeling unattractive to their partner (44% vs. 11% of men), experiencing unrealistic expectations (38% vs. 17% of men) and making unhealthy comparisons with pornographic content (38% vs. 16% of men). Many women (38%) also report decreased self-esteem (vs. 12% of men). Additional research indicates that frequent pornography use may lead to lower relationship satisfaction, hinder open communication, contribute to negative body image and shape unrealistic sexual expectations.

Misconception 3: A Person Can Easily Stop Using Pornography Whenever They Want

While 66 percent of U.S. adults believe “with enough willpower, a person can overcome porn addiction on their own,” the data suggests otherwise. Most individuals with a history of porn use report that no one knows of their porn use, and no one is helping them stop. However, Barna research shows that accountability partnerships significantly increase success in stopping pornography use. Those with accountability partners report lower monthly usage rates and experience improvements in overall well-being, feelings of support and validation. Additionally, individuals with support tend to develop more realistic perspectives about pornography’s negative impacts.

Takeaways for the Church

For pastors and church leaders, these findings highlight the crucial need to address pornography use with greater understanding and effectiveness. The data challenges the Church to move beyond outdated assumptions and create environments where both men and women feel safe seeking help. This might look like:

• Establishing support systems that acknowledge and address pornography use among both men and women
• Creating accountability programs that combine spiritual guidance with practical support strategies, recognizing that willpower alone is insufficient
• Training ministry leaders to facilitate open, shame-free conversations about pornography’s impact on relationships and well-being, using data-driven insights to inform these discussions

By taking steps like these, church leaders can provide more effective support for those struggling with and affected by pornography use, ultimately fostering healthier relationships and stronger spiritual lives in their community.