Abstract

Pornography viewing is gradually becoming a part of life in many countries around the world, including Cameroon. However, the impact of pornographic films on Cameroonian youth has not been given much attention.

The aim of this research was to investigate the impact of pornographic films on Cameroonian youth. Specifically, the study sought to find out the reasons why youths in Cameroon watch pornographic films, to determine the extent to which the youths in Cameroon responds or practised behaviour acquired from viewing pornographic and to understand and examine the effects of frequent exposure to pornography on Cameroonian youths.

In order to achieve the study objectives, the study sample 100 students from the University of Buea using a structured questionnaire through purposive simple random and convenient random sampling techniques.

Collected data were analysed using SPSS (21.0) where frequency and percentages of variables were calculated. Findings revealed that the youths of Buea Municipality are exposed to pornography. The major sources of pornographic content were the internet, home movies, Print media, and TV.

The study revealed that respondents in the study watch pornography for the following reasons such as to pass time when bored, to helps improve their sexual relationships, to relieves sexual frustration, to relieves stress, to satisfy their curiosity about sex, to educates about new sexual techniques and to excite their sexual pleasure.

The study concluded that watching of pornographic content had a great effect on the youths as it causes them to have a lack of focus in life, its undermines the relationship and foster sexual violence, leads to sexual violence like rape, brings about incent among the youths, can cause of unwanted pregnancy among youths, makes youths to become an addict, and undermines physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Given the negative consequences of pornography on the youth population, therefore recommended that policymakers should ensure that measures are taken to regulate youth indiscriminate access or censor pornographic material.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of The Study

Pornographic materials are known for displaying behaviours that many adults consider unacceptable and highly risky in terms of sexual health (Arrington-Sanders et al., 2015). Research evidence has indicated that pornography is becoming a prevalent part of life in many countries around the world, including Cameroon.

Cooper, Delmonico and Burg (2000) asserted that sex is the most frequently searched topic on the Internet and the rapid increase in pornography consumption has influenced the youths in an unprecedented way (Lofgren-Martenson and Mansson, 2010). The technological advancement, the availability of personal computers, smartphones and unlimited access to the Internet, have made it easy to access and consume pornography (Buzzell, 2005).

Pornography viewing precipitates sexual coercion and aggression among males since, in films and movies, females are being objectified as victims of sexual violence (Bonino et al., 2006). Flood (2009) describes pornography as body-punishing sex in which females are demeaned and debased. Research findings in the study which investigated the impact of alcohol consumption on the sexual behaviour of adolescent males in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, Takatshana (2013), found that the extensive viewing of sexual violence and rape on television or movies hurt the sexual behaviour of youth.

The majority of the participants reported pornography and alcohol use to be precursors of aggressive sexual behaviour. Aggressive behaviour contributes to rape perpetration. George (2001) mentions that in most cases high sexual violence is perpetrated in educational settings. Döring (2014) further states that almost all high school females had encountered forced sexual intercourse in school. Adolescent males become aggressive due to early pornography exposure which may lead to rape.

Uncontrolled exposure to cyber pornography constitutes a gateway to sex-related violence and other deviant sexual expressions like rape, bestiality, fetishism, paedophilia, or sexual masochism (Buzzell, 2005, Wolak et al., 2008).

Apart from this, pornography viewing can also result in a chaotic lifestyle because it tends to lead to sexual addiction, low self-esteem, and depression in individuals involved in it (Wamathai et al., 2014). Despite the ubiquitous nature of pornographic materials and their associated physical, emotional, and psychological risks, this problem has yet to receive adequate scholarly attention in Cameroon. Against this background, this study investigated the impact of pornographic films on Cameroonian youth, to fill this observed void.

1.2 Statement of Problem

The film is a very powerful medium that can reach a large number of people and as observed from the study, pornographic films through the Internet reaches a large number of people. The pornographic film is an audiovisual medium capable of producing the most vociferous outburst through the portrayal of pornography, violence and other immoral acts.

Undoubtedly social scientists who are interested in the study of mass media particularly films effects have been involved in the effects to find out the relationship between media and anti-social behaviours like crime, violence, sexual pervasion, abuse, rape.

There have been series of researches and counter researches that shows that audio-visual media can be described as an all-powerful all pervasive and all manipulative medium capable of producing the most vociferous outburst through the portrayal of pornography, violence and other immoral acts.

Therefore, this project is geared towards ascertaining if sexual crimes pervasion and abuse among the youths could be attributed to their exposure to pornographic films.

1.3 General Objective

1.3.1 Main Objective

The main objective of the study is to examine the impact of pornographic films on Cameroonian youth.

1.3.2 Specific Objectives

Specifically, the study set to establish the under listed objectives:

1. To find out the reasons why youths in Cameroon watch pornographic films.
2. To determine the extent to which the youths in Cameroon responds or practised behaviour acquired from viewing pornographic
3. To understand and examine the effects of frequent exposure to pornography on Cameroonian youths.