Work

The Suspicious Porn Consumer: A Semiotic Study of Reports to Child Sexual Abuse Hotlines

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Little is known about situations where pornography users draw the line between harmful and pleasurable online sexual images. In 2022, using unique empirical material consisting of 839 reports to child sexual abuse hotlines in Denmark and Belgium, we investigated what internet users report as harmful. We found that one-third of the material reported by these digital bystanders is child sexual abuse by legal standards. Through analysis of the remaining reports, we identified five other types of reported material: mainstream porn, age play, hentai/cartoons, abuse of adults, and exploitative images of children. These findings contribute to a more nuanced discussion of the ambivalences faced by everyday digital pornography users.

Source: Sexuality & Culture

DOI: 10.1007/s12119-026-10574-x

Authors: Sidsel K. Harder, Peter Ejbye-Ernst

Institutions: University of Copenhagen, Ghent University, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement

Language: English

Topic: Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,190