Introduction
Pornography is not a new aspect but has been practiced widely by people of different ages, young and old, married and unmarried. Pornography entails the act of portraying and/or viewing unequivocal sexual subject matter mainly nude bodies, with the main aim being that of achieving sexual excitement as well as erotic satisfaction. It is a subject that has received a lot of controversial responses from different parties with some supporting it with the fact that it improves an individual’s sexual life whereas others are against it stating that it is evil and what it does to an individual is destruction (Postner, p. 366). In this piece of work, I will look at the issue of pornography with much emphasis being given to its effect on marriages and the strategies that could be applied to curb it.
Pornography and Marriages
Marriage is an institution that is based on the premise of the partners growing together in relational intimacy through a sexual relationship. From my point of view, anything that brings about a negative effect in intimacy between a husband and a wife is wrong and pornography is one of them. I have witnessed pornography creating many tribulations in marriages. It is for example one of the contributing factors to divorce in marriages. This is especially where one individual in the marriage relationship, in most cases the husband, is addicted to it. From my experience, pornography makes sex selfish and self-centered an aspect that is harmful in a marriage. This is because sexual actions involved in viewing and engaging in pornography are aimed at what the viewer can benefit from it (personally), making real intimacy to be hard to achieve. I have also seen pornography isolating a person from his/her spouse and family. This is because your flesh and blood partner will rarely measure to the fantasy presented in pornography hence the difference. From my understanding of pornography, I equate it to crack cocaine where the more you do it, the more the craving. This leads to sex addiction. I have also seen pornography increasing the crimes of dangerous offenders such as rapists and child molesters (Nabor, p. 100).
Treatment Strategies to Pornography in Marriages
Although pornography has various negative effects when it comes to marriages, I believe that there exist ways through which it could be avoided. However, the absolute solution to pornography in marriage is enhanced intimacy between the husband and wife. From my know-how in this field, intimacy reduces the urge, in either of the partners to seek solace in pornographic materials, to a great extent. To maintain intimacy, there is the need for the husband and wife to nurture their love so as their sexual relationship prospers day by day to avoid any chances of straying. I concur with Reid &Gray’s (p. 124) the argument that a person should confront his or her spouse’s pornographic problem. This is because when spouses work together honestly to overcome the problem, there is a tendency of strengthening their relationship, commitment, and hence intimacy. I also advise that couples should learn to think of their marriage as a prestigious asset that should be safeguarded and hence work hand in hand to overcome pornography-related problems.
Conclusion
It is evident that pornography has been widely witnessed in today’s world. To some marriages, porn is not a problem while to some it’s a real marriage breaker. Its effects in marriages are however negative as discussed above and various strategies have to be adopted to curb it.
Works Cited
- Nabor, Pastrana Imelda Maria. Ethics. Quezon: Katha Publishing Co., Inc, 2003.
- Postner, Richard. Sex and Reason. Harvard: Harvard University Press, 1994.
- Reid, Rory and Gray, Dan. Confronting Your Spouse’s Pornography Problem. New York: Silverleaf Press, 2006.