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Scripting Sexual Violence? Links Between Women's Pornography Exposure in Childhood and Later Sexual Victimization
Laura K Noll1, Rowan Reinhart2, Sarah J Harsey3
1Department of Psychological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 1100 Beaver Street, Flagstaff, AZ, 86001-5106, USA. laura.noll@nau.edu.
Archives of Sexual Behavior
|August 13, 2026
Summary
Early exposure to internet pornography (IP) is linked to adult sexual victimization in women. This study found that adopting sexual behaviors seen in IP (pornography sex scripting) partially explains this connection.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Media Studies
Background:
- Childhood exposure to internet pornography (IP) is prevalent.
- Research suggests a link between early IP use and adult sexual victimization in women.
- Mechanisms underlying this association require further exploration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of pornography sex scripting in the relationship between early IP exposure and later sexual victimization.
- To examine how repeating sexual behaviors depicted in IP influences the link between early IP exposure and adult sexual victimization.
- To build upon sexual script theory in understanding the impact of IP.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey of 677 emerging adult women.
- Assessed self-reported early exposure to IP during childhood and adolescence.
- Measured self-reported pornography sex scripting and adult sexual victimization.
Main Results:
- Replicated the association between early IP exposure and adult sexual victimization.
- Found that pornography sex scripting partially mediated the relationship between early IP exposure and sexual victimization.
- Identified pornography sex scripting as a potential mechanism linking early IP exposure to later victimization.
Conclusions:
- Early internet pornography exposure may increase the risk of adult sexual victimization through the adoption of pornography sex scripts.
- Findings have implications for sexual violence prevention programs.
- Further research is needed to explore these mechanisms and inform interventions.
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