I'm reading an academic article this morning by Kai J. Jonas, a researcher from the University of Amsterdam, who did research on the impact of bareback porn on it's viewers. Results indicate that watching bareback porn lowers the threshold for viewers to engage in bareback sex.
This new study didn't make many headlines, assumably because Jonas and his team mention clearly in their article that further research is needed and that the conclusion is not 'Watching bareback porn will make you a barebacker' but rather 'Viewers will more easily consider engaging in sex without a condom after watching bareback porn'. But there were some voices on social media which were quite surprised at the outcome. Though the loudest comments attacked the research method rather than the conclusion.
Note: From an academic viewpoint, the research method is solid. Jonas even notes why they chose this approach. So it is irrelevant to criticize the method, I'd much rather like to debate the conclusion.
Study 1
Jonas and his team conducted two studies. In Study 1 focused on the theory that watching bareback porn lowers the threshold to engage in bareback sex. 220 gay men watched DVD covers after which they reported about their sexual behavior. The results indicate the theory to be correct: those who are confronted with bareback sex images will more easily engage in bareback sex. Jonas does mention a lot of factors that influence such a choice (e.g. HIV-status) but overall the result supports the theory
Study 2
This study focused on the practice of bareback sex. 34 men were given a bag with condoms etc. to go out in a local bar where sex videos were shown and sex parties were hosted. (Cruise Club Church if I'm not mistaken.) The men reported afterwards on their sexual behavior. The results of this study indicate that viewers of bareback porn video footage will more easily engage in bareback sex. Again Jonas mentions factors that influence such a choice, but this time too the results support the theory.
Discussion
Jonas and his team conclude that watching bareback porn will have viewers engage more easily in bareback sex. These studies are limited, more research is definitely needed, Jonas and his team state. But their research could be of importance to sex health workers and organisations, sex locations as well as porn producers. One option the researchers mention is analogue to the way society currently deals with tobacco and alcohol: warning viewers about the risks of bareback sex on DVD-boxes, through banners on bareback porn websites or on locations where bareback porn is shown. As an 'educated viewer' is expected to be more aware of risks and to make a more conscious decision about whether or not to engage in bareback sex.
What do you think? Are you more likely to engage in bareback sex after watching bareback porn? And do you think putting warnings about risks on DVD-covers, sex sites and sex locations could prevent men from barebacking?
Note/Personal Opinion: I will be the last one on earth to say people should not have bareback sex, but I personally think it could do no harm to add such a warning to bareback pornography. If we do it with smoking and alcohol consumption, why not with porn? Also, people that want to bareback will bareback, but it is better when someone makes a conscious choice to do so instead of it (having bareback sex) happening accidentally.
If you would like a copy of this research article, send me a message or get in the comments. (It is 300kb, breedingzone's limit for .pdf is 200kb.)