Porn Addiction Statistics: In the Church and Outside the Church

Since internet use has gone way up due to social media, everyone has access to sexual content, and even the advertising industry often promotes promiscuity. Internet sex is rampant, causing significant pain in our world today.

As a CSAT-trained clinician, one of the most common questions I receive per year is, "What are the statistics for sexual addiction in this digital media age?" Some ask about internet porn addiction statistics in the general culture, while others inquire about pornography consumption in the church.

The Statistics: What the Latest Research Shows

After listening to a recent podcast and finding a study through Pure Desire that discusses a Barna study, the statistics are staggering.

1. 61% of U.S. adults report that they view internet pornography. This means three out of five US adults are engaging in pornography consumption.

2. 54% of practicing Christians in the U.S. view internet pornography. A practicing Christian in the study is defined as someone who reported that their faith was important to them and they attend church twice a month.

3. 84% of porn users say they do not have anyone in their life helping them avoid porn usage.

4. 49% of Christians said they were comfortable with how much porn they use.

5. Only 21% of practicing Christians said they wish they didn't use porn at all.

Within the study, it was reported that 56% of US adults view therapy or counseling as the most effective approach for addressing their porn usage.

Sit with that contradiction for a second: only 1 in 5 practicing Christians actually want to stop, yet more than half of all US adults believe therapy is the most effective path forward. That gap between wanting help and wanting to quit is exactly what makes this issue so hard to treat. Most people who walk into my office aren't there because they've decided porn is wrong. They're there because someone else found out, or because the shame finally became heavier than the habit.

Acknowledging the Failure

These statistics reveal the tragic failure of Christians to address compulsive sexual behavior. We have to do better to address pornography in the church and our world today, as it has led to all sorts of issues: sexually transmitted diseases, behavioral health, substance use disorder, psychiatric disorder, impulse control disorder, and more. Many spouses discovering their partner's addiction experience betrayal trauma that requires its own healing.

Part of the failure is structural. Only 10% of churches currently offer any kind of programming to help people struggling with pornography, even though most congregants say they want their church to address it. If the church isn't providing a place to bring this struggle into the light, it shouldn't surprise us that so many Christians are carrying it alone.

Most of my clients struggling with sexual addiction were given smartphones at a young age with no accountability software in place. Kids with smartphones get captured by internet sex.

Where Christian Ethics Diverge From Secular Recovery Models

Even in twelve-step programs or support groups, some of those groups are fine with you looking at porn as long as it doesn't lead to compulsive sexual behavior or problematic pornography use. From a Christian perspective, any amount of pornography is wrong, and Jesus goes further by teaching that lust is wrong (Matthew 5:27-28; 1 Corinthians 6:18). Yet, you can still be forgiven and change in Christ:

"And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11)

Begin Your Journey Toward Freedom

Begin your journey with a licensed counselor in order to overcome behavioral addiction. Treating porn addiction can result in regaining spiritual connection with a Christian counselor. You can still have a spiritual impact on others. Regain a joyful life that has been robbed through sex addiction issues!