Sex on the Net

PORN and sex have invaded cyberspace, and from the looks of it, they ain’t that pretty. In fact, they can be downright nastier in their virtual version than in the flesh-and-blood world, says the writer of the first-person piece in i Report‘s ongoing series on addictions.

The writer also describes cyberporn addiction as a “dirty little secret” that “can shatter our carefully preserved self-image and make us question our morals or our self-esteem.” But the writer, who wants to remain anonymous, says it’s an addiction that is borne out of a need that, at least in his/her case, could not be satisfied by other means.

Fortunately, the writer says that he/she is keeping one eye wide open while trawling the Web for coital kicks. The sex may be virtual, but there’s a live person on the other end of that cyberline and she is probably not anything like she says she is. She might even be a he. As the writer says, the beauty — and danger — of the Net is that it allows you to create a new identity over and over again.

And while you may really be harmless, there’s no guarantee your cyberpartner is not an axe murderer. In other words, there may be no need for condoms, but what you will get will not necessarily be safe sex.

Read on at pcij.org.