The Dangers of Voyeurism

When the explicit video of ESPN newscaster Erin Andrews—she was unknowingly filmed while nude in her hotel room through a peep hole—circulated the Internet earlier this year, it cast a spotlight on the issue of voyeurism. Cheryl Wetzstein of the Washington Times raises the questions of how one becomes a voyeur and what the consequences of such behaviors are.

Former Procter & Gamble Marketing VP Struggled with Sex Addiction

It’s well known that former Procter & Gamble global vice president of marketing Denis Beausejour left his position as the world’s most sought-after client to enter the seminary; it’s lesser known that during his time at P&G he struggled with an addiction to sex that included massage parlors, prostitutes, and pornography.

Sexual Addiction and Women

Many people assume that sexual addiction affects mostly men, but the disorder affects women just as often. However, the shame and stigma that can come with sexual addict may keep many women from seeking treatment. According to the National Council on Sexual Addiction Compulsivity, 6 to 8 percent of Americans are suffering from sexual addiction, which is 18 to 24 million people.

Sexual Compulsivity

If you find yourself unable to control your sexual impulses and have become so obsessed with sex that it negatively affects your life, you may be suffering from sexual compulsivity. Although the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not yet recognize sexual compulsivity as a disorder, it is a very real and serious problem for about three to six percent of American adults.

Pornography and Sex Addiction in the Workplace

The porn industry is a global obsession: Every second, $3,075 is spent on adult content, more than 28,000 Internet users are viewing porn, and 372 Internet users are typing adult terms into search engines to find porn. Every 39 seconds, a new pornographic video is produced in the United States. Even more shocking, 70 percent of all online porn access occurs during the workday.

Fighting Porn Addiction via the Internet

Although fighting porn addiction online seems a little contradictory, several internet-based programs have been keeping recovering porn addicts from relapsing. Of course, anyone struggling with porn addiction is advised to seek individual or group therapy with a licensed professional.

According to a Wall Street Journal article, one recovering addict is using a free program called X3watch, which runs in the background of his Web surfing and keeps track of any questionable sites he visits. The program then emails the log to a self-appointed “accountability partner,” who will then sit him down for a talk. A $19 pro version allows for more reports and more accountability partners.