Studies Address Lack of Honesty from Men about Paid Sex and Porn
Honesty – or the lack thereof – related to men’s use of pornography and paid sexual services is the subject of several eye-opening reports. One report describes how most men conceal their use of pornography or use of services like strip clubs from their female partners, making true information on the subject of men paying for sex difficult to find.
The conversation stems from a research study in which the authors had to redefine what constituted men who pay for sex as compared to those who don’t because not enough men were admitting to using paid sexual services. Researchers broadened the definition of "sex buyers" to include not just prostitution, but also services like lap dances, usage of porn websites or strip clubs.
Finding enough men for the study who hadn’t participated in strip clubs, phone-based sex or multiple uses of pornography also proved difficult, leading to new discussions about whether or not men are honest about their sexual behaviors.
The subject of men purchasing sex is also becoming a popular topic among women. More women are questioning the sexual behaviors like pornography or prostitution of men they know, says the article, and expressing serious frustration about finding men who don’t engage in porn. The conversation is turning more frequently to the question of whether or not all males use the materials, and possibly leading to stronger levels of mistrust in relationships.
Similar to other types of disorders, the author explains that men may have an ongoing addiction to porn or paid sex services, and this may interfere with their ability to be honest about the issue. Some men may say their use of paid sexual services or porn was a habit from their past, implying they are behaviors they can just drop.
Addiction specialists, however, continue to research the brain reward systems and the addictive power associated with porn, as well as new sex addiction treatments that may help people gain freedom from the all-consuming and obsessive behaviors that are hallmarks of this destructive addiction.