Read and understand the important statistics below as they apply to women and pornography:
1. 1 in 7 teen girls have viewed pornography on
multiple occasions for a half-hour
or more.
2. 18%
of women use the Internet for sexual purposes
habitually (every week).
3. 45%
of women said they started viewing pornography (or engaging in
cybersex) when they were 13-17 years old.
4.
49%
of young adult women agree
that viewing pornography is an acceptable way of satisfying one’s
sexuality.
5.
62% of women have seen pornography by the
age of 18.
6. 52% of young women today are exposed to
sexually explicit material by the age of 14.
7.
Of
the women currently 18-29 years old, 61% saw porn for the first time before
they were 13 years old. 55% said their first exposure was Internet or
computer-based.
8.
27% of women say they felt out of control when it comes to sexually
chatting online; 11% say the same thing about sexting.
9.
When
asked how well did their parents prepared them to for sexual temptations
and how well they taught them about purpose of sex, on a scale of one to 7. 55% of
the women gave their parents a 1. Another third (32%) gave their parents a two or three.
Pornography seems to be acceptable for men, but is rarely discussed among women. Here three reasons to stop this habit:
1.
If you are married, does it honor your spouse?: Remember, ladies, sex is about two becoming one. It is not about your husband using you, and
then you taking care of yourself (through viewing pornography). Whether you are
single or married, pornography can lay a foundation for difficulty.
You are training your body to respond to
certain visual triggers (instead of your spouse). You have separated yourself
from your spouse, and have limited the intimacy you can experience with them.
Fighting this battle is not easy. Bad habits are difficult to break. The sooner
you can get them out of your life (the better).
2.
Does it honor God?: No addiction honors God. As Christians, we are not to be slaves
to anything (even our bodies) which we are supposed to regarded as the temple
of God. “Don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy
Spirit who comes from God and dwells inside of you? You do not own yourself. You
have been purchased at a great price, so use your body to bring glory to God.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, VOICE).
We are commanded to honor God with our bodies.
Even those of you do not feel you are addicted, think about those moments you view
pornography. Ask yourself if God is watching you and thinking, “That’s my
child; I am so proud of them right now.”
3.
Sex should not
be selfish: Pornography is self-focused.
Biologically speaking, sex is the union of two people, not one. Our sex drive
is a desire to have that intimate union with another person.
Pornography does not fill that desire. It is
our way of saying, “It is my sex drive, and I want it appeased when I want it
appeased.” Sex is about surrender and giving (not power and taking).
Here are three
practical steps to help you kick pornography:
1. Think on Truth: More often than not, especially for ladies, pornography
finds its root in fantasy. Stop that chain at the very beginning by holding
tight to the words of Philippians 4:8-9 (PHILLIPS). “Here is a last
piece of advice. If you believe in goodness and if you value the approval of
God, fix your minds on the things which are holy and right and pure and
beautiful and good. Model your conduct on what you have learned from me, on
what I have told you and shown you, and you will find the God of peace will be
with you.”
One of the things we are told to think on, or
meditate on, is truth. The truth is you have a life in front of you that needs
your attention, and a Savior who has promised to help you through it. You do
not need to run from it. When we run, we fall.
2.
Know Your Weaknesses:
Speaking of the chain of fantasy, know what situations tend to get you into the
mindset to imagine. For some women, stress is a huge trigger. For others,
loneliness is a culprit. Some women don’t necessarily have a trigger, but a
certain environment is more conducive to falling.
Sometimes, it is something benign. Even
watching G-rated movies may start your mind wandering. Sometimes it is
something that can be godly. Know your weakness. You cannot always avoid it,
but knowing what it is will help you be on your guard.
3.
Do Not Make it Easy: “Instead, wrap
yourselves in the Lord Jesus, God’s Anointed, and do not fuel your sinful
imagination by indulging your
self-seeking desire for the pleasures of the flesh.” (Romans 13:14, VOICE)
The battle for purity is already difficult
enough without making sin convenient. Make pornography as inconvenient as
possible. Put blocks on Internet access. Since the Garden, Satan has
capitalized on gray areas, convenience, and human weakness. It is doubtful Eve
would have eaten from that tree if she had a firm belief in the truth of God.
It is also doubtful she would have gone to the trouble if the tree were it on
the top of a mountain.
Make pornography your tree on a mountain, and
stand firm on your desire for purity. Seek His strength and wisdom. This is not
a battle that can be won overnight (like painful withdrawal). You will need
your Heavenly Father every step of the way.
The
good news is that He promises to be there for you in your time of weakness. “Any
temptation you face will be nothing new. But God is faithful, and He will not
let you be tempted beyond what you can handle. But He always provides a way of
escape so that you will be able to endure and keep moving forward.” (1 Corinthians 10:13,
VOICE)
[i] Sources used:
·
“How Do I Kick
Masturbation Addiction?” by Jessica Harris
·
“How
Many Women are hooked on Porn? 10 “Stats that May Shock You” by Luke
Gilkerson
·
“Women and
Masturbation: Talking About It Openly” by Kristen Clark
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