Research by Anna Bridges, PhD student in physiology at the University of Arkansas, reveals: pornography has an addictive effect and leads to problems in romantic relationships. She does not deny that there are many benefits from the industry, but access to the Internet should be more strictly controlled. A statistical study from 2012 indicated that 93% of boys and 62% of girls viewed pornographic material before the age of 18. 70% of boys spent at least once more than 30 minutes viewing pornography on the Internet, and 35% of they do it at least 3 times a week. 28% of them also watched scenes containing sexual violence. According to the same statistics, another phenomenon is spreading massively all over the world – mentioning pornography as one of the main reasons for seeking a divorce. Spouses of couples who define themselves as “happily married” do not visit erotic sites more than once every 1-2 months, as do 61% of them. The remaining 39% search for similar content on the Internet even less often. A similar study of over 9,000 participants concluded that: 70% of respondents hide from their partners how much time they spend masturbating with online pornography; 68% do not think their habit is harming any aspect of their life; 93% of men and 44% of women answer that their partner has at least once expressed dissatisfaction with the habit. It is also determined that frequent viewing of pornography is considered infidelity by 18% of respondents, and 23% of them, who admit in an anonymous survey that they have cheated at least once, accuse the pink film industry of incitement. NEWS_MORE_BOX An impressive 48% of men and 19% of women surveyed felt that not being able to watch porn and masturbate for more than a week had a bad effect on them and led to increased levels of stress, outbursts of aggression or indecisiveness, and an inability to last concentration. The research also focuses on the reaction of the partner upon discovering the pornographic habits of his partner. 28% of them had no problem with this habit, 35% were rather negative, 24% felt hurt, betrayed or unattractive, which greatly damaged their self-esteem. Only 13% answered that the habit had a positive effect on the couple’s sex life as a whole.