Despite the rising number of women who use pornography, women who struggle often feel alone. One woman, Kimberly, shares this story of how difficult it is to reach out for help:
“Um, just so you know. I’m the one with the problem. I’m not calling because my husband or boyfriend has a problem. I’m the addict. Is the counselor comfortable talking to women?”
“Yes, he talks to female clients all of the time,” the voice on the other end of the phone responded.
“Okay,” the caller said as she thought, “Yeah, I’m sure he talks to wives all of the time about their husband’s problem, but I probably will be the only woman he ever talked with that wrestles with pornography, masturbation, and other sexually addictive behaviors.”
“Actually, Russell had a last minute cancellation and has an opening today at 11 a.m. Will that work for you?” the office manager said.
The caller replied, “Yes, thank you. I will call back then.”
That telephone call took place on September 15, 2005. I was the caller and was telephoning New Creation Ministries in Fresno, CA. At the time of this phone call, I had wrestled on and off with pornography and masturbation for 23 years (since the age of approximately 11).
I was pretty much convinced this was a “guy’s problem.” I thought because I was a female wrestling with this, something was desperately wrong with me. “I must be a very confused, perverted soul to end up with this problem as a woman. No man in his right mind (even a counselor) would be comfortable speaking to such a sex-crazed pig,” my self-loathing inner voice screamed. The horrendous shame I felt at my secret struggles is beyond adequate description.
Kimberly is not the only one. Covenant Eyes has been helping people overcome pornography for 25 years, and in that time we’ve spoken with thousands of women just like her.
Do Women Really Watch Porn?
Popular wisdom says that women don’t watch porn. Or, if they do consume porn, it’s only because their partner does, or for some other reason. (See How Many Men Watch Porn?)
This is false. If there ever was a time when porn was an exclusively male habit, that time is long gone.
- In 2016, The Barna Group published The Porn Phenomenon: The Impact of Pornography in the Digital Age. They found that 39% of women actively sought out pornography.1
- In 2024, Barna published a follow-up study, Beyond the Porn Phenomenon, in partnership with Pure Desire Ministries. The updated study found that pornography has now risen to 44% of all women view pornography, a 5% increase.2
Furthermore, it’s growing increasingly common, particularly among younger generations. The conventional idea that “women don’t struggle” is not only wrong but is deeply harmful to the millions of women dealing with this issue. Many of them feel alone and isolated, and too ashamed to ask for help.
Do Christian Women Watch porn?
Another misconception is that Christian women don’t watch porn. Watch this video from Jessica Harris where she shares how difficult it was to find someone to share her struggle with.
Again, the data from Barna reveals the opposite:
- 40% of Christian women view pornography.
- 82% of Christians who struggle with porn don’t have someone helping them with the issue. Likely, the number is even higher for women.
(Learn more about Christians and porn). We need to debunk this destructive myth once and for all. Pastors need to recognize the women in their congregations are struggling, and proactively offer help and support.
How Many Women Watch Porn
We’ve looked at percentages that show nearly half of all women look at pornography at least occasionally. Well over a third of Christian women also look at pornography. Let’s combine these percentages with census data and to get some actual numbers.3
| 2015 | 2023 | |
| Women in USA (ages 13-65) | 105,845,082 | 112,253,978 |
| Women watching porn | 41,279,581 | 49,391,751 |
These are rough estimates, but we can see pornography use is on the rise among women. Nearly 50 million women in the United States alone are watching pornography. Survey data from other countries points to similar trends. This includes many women addicted to porn.
Where Can I Find More of the Latest Porn Stats?
For more of data on the pornography industry, porn use in the United States, and the impact of porn on the church, check out the Covenant Eyes Pornography Statistics.
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