Tuesday, May 30, 2006    Text size: 

According to the study, 40 percent of British men had visited porn sites within the last year, with an equal number having downloaded adult content within the past month. From a larger perspective, the study found, users in the island nation have increased from 2 million 6-years ago to 9 million today.

Not to be left out, viewership among British women saw a 30 percent spike, going from 1 million to 1.5 million in the past year. Women represent the fastest growing demographic group, according to the study.

The study also found that more than half of all children surveyed had looked at adult websites.

While more pornography is available to Britons online, the boom in adult viewership comes as part of an overall trend, according to the study, which found that national film censors had approved more hardcore films than 18-rated — the U.K. equivalent to R-rated — in the past few years.

While some in Britain found the increase in porn viewership to be an encouraging sign of the country’s sexual liberation, others were alarmed by the trend.

"I'm concerned that the boundaries are being pushed on what is acceptable,” Parliament Member Sandra Gidley, said. “Some of the hardcore stuff is quite shocking.”

Phillip Hodson of the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy worried that the prevalence of porn in the country could do damage to the nation’s couples.

"The Internet has made sex-lazy men even sex-lazier where they get lost in their own world," Hodson said. "It used to be said that men neglected foreplay, but now they are neglecting sex."

Counselors who treat couples for relationship problems have reported that as many as 40 percent of couples seeking help cite porn as a contributing factor to their difficulties.

According to the British press, the U.K. porn industry is worth approximately $1.6 billion.