Lluís Ballester: "Prostitution flats have clients as young as 13."

PalmLluís Ballester Brague (Galicia, 1960) holds a PhD in Sociology (UAB) and Philosophy (UIB), a degree in Social Work, and a professor of Research Methods at the University of the Balearic Islands. His main lines of research have focused on prevention based on family competence programs, the sociology of youth, and the impact of pornography on childhood and adolescence. This Friday, October 10, at 8:00 p.m., in the auditorium of s'Agrícola, he will give a lecture entitledThe connection between Internet pornography and changes in prostitution, presented by Manacor-born doctor Antoni Truyols.

How has young people's access to pornography changed with the arrival of the internet?

— It has undergone a radical change with the arrival of the internet: the age of initiation has moved forward dramatically, with accidental access to pornographic images becoming common starting at age 8-9, at 17.5%, and sought-after and recurring access starting at age 13. According to several studies we have conducted in the Balearic Islands and elsewhere, in recent years, more than 70% of young people between the ages of 16 and 29 have used it at some point, and overall, 25% of adolescents report having accessed it before the age of 13.

— Internet pornography is easily accessible, widely distributed, often free, and available on any connected device. This new pornography normalizes highly sexist patterns, increasing violence, and objectification of women, influencing the sexual expectations and behaviors of young people.

— There is growing evidence of the consequences of this premature consumption. International studies have found a direct relationship between the increase in sexual assault among minors and early consumption of pornography, with imitation of behaviors and a lack of awareness of the harm it can cause. Although the fundamental solution is education, it is also necessary to implement effective age verification mechanisms to restrict minors' access to pornographic content.

How does online pornography consumption influence the development of sexuality and relationships among adolescents?

— The regular use of online pornography has a significant influence on the construction of sexuality and intimate relationships among adolescents. Pornography has become one of the primary sources of sexual education for young people, often serving as the most immediate or even the only reference for many adolescents who lack other role models or adequate emotional education.

— The regular viewing of new pornography, often containing violent content and sexist stereotypes, distorts adolescents' perceptions of sexuality, leading them to believe that male dominance and the objectification of women are normal and desirable in sexual relationships. This can negatively influence their attitudes and behaviors with others, generate unrealistic expectations, and often encourage risky and violent behaviors.

— Certain differences in adolescent pornography use by gender influence how they inform themselves or shape their sexuality. Young men and women use pornography to satisfy sexual curiosity or arousal, but adolescent girls often also view it as a source of sexual information in the absence of effective emotional and sexual education.

Is there evidence of a link between pornography consumption and demand for prostitution among young people?

— There is a clear link between pornography consumption and the normalization of prostitution among young people. Today's pornography, especially that circulating on the internet, is heavily influenced by sexual violence, which is naturalized and desirable among adolescents, contributing to their normalization of prostitution. For example, police interventions have found that clients of prostitution houses can be young people as young as 13 or 14, a recurring occurrence that can only be explained by the link with early pornography consumption: there are advertisements for prostitution and pornography that systematically invite them to engage in prostitution.

— The pornography industry is highly toxic, and early consumption of this type of pornography fosters attitudes and behaviors that can increase the demand for prostitution. It should also be noted that the transition from consuming pornography to participating in the industry (as in the case of young people who create sexual content on platforms like OnlyFans) is subtle and growing, reflecting a society where the gap between consumption and active participation is very small.

— I think it's necessary to be highly critical of this situation of open access, of young people at such young ages being exposed to and attracted by this content, and of the pornographic industry's facilitation of this situation without adequate oversight. We need to demand strong educational and regulatory measures to prevent pornography consumption from being the sole source of so-called sexual education, as well as being a gateway to prostitution among adolescents.

How have the forms and modalities of prostitution evolved with new technologies and digital platforms?

— They have profoundly transformed prostitution, generating what can be called "offshore prostitution." The internet has allowed the recruitment, supply, demand, and practice of prostitution to move to the digital realm, with a more hidden and dispersed organization. This makes identification and the intervention of police or social support difficult, making prostitution much less visible and more difficult to control or regulate, even when there is clear evidence of human trafficking.

— Most ads for sexual services and escorts are found on specialized websites—many with servers outside the country. Studies conducted in 2024 in Ibiza with Médicos del Mundo identified how the number of women on a single island exceeds 800 during peak season, and that these women may choose hotels, apartments, yachts, or private homes, escaping the traditional model of clubs or the street. This model increases the risk of exploitation and violence, as people in prostitution are much less protected and live exposed to violent practices without the possibility of immediate assistance.

— Furthermore, the digital relocation of prostitution contributes to the invisibility of consumption by 'clients', eliminating the 'filter' of fear of being seen or identified, which can lead to consumption increasing among younger audiences, also connected to prostitution advertisements in pornography. on-line and the normalization of sexual exploitation from digital environments.

What are the main differences you see between traditional prostitution and new digital forms, such as webcams, OnlyFans, etc.?

— There are notable differences between traditional prostitution and the new digital forms – such as webcams, OnlyFans, Telegram, or web platforms—it's worth noting that technology has changed the landscape and risks of this phenomenon. In traditional prostitution, the activity tends to be in-person, localized, and often controlled by physical, present networks or pimps, while digital methods allow for "delocalization" and a more autonomous appearance, although the dynamics of exploitation may persist.

— New web platforms, including experiences like OnlyFans, have been presented as spaces of "freedom" or "empowerment," but in reality, they are managed by intermediaries who function as new pimps, controlling content, collecting commissions, and sometimes recruiting and pressuring the people they control. Furthermore, these platforms enable a connection between pornography and prostitution: the sale of personalized sexual services or digitalized sexual interactions generates new forms of commodification of the body that cross the conventional boundaries between pornography and prostitution.

— Another key difference is the false sense of autonomy, when concealing prostitution leads to worsening sexual exploitation or self-exploitation: instead of a visible network of pimps or clubs, the intermediation becomes digitalized and blurred, but the economic pressure, hypersexualization, and control often do not diminish, but rather take on crimes such as human trafficking, sexual exploitation of minors, etc. It is also notable that digitalization amplifies demand and constant exposure, increasing the risks of digital violence, harassment, and data leaks.

What impact do social media and apps have on the normalization or stigmatization of prostitution and pornography among young people?

— We must be mindful of the trivialization and social normalization of these new practices—often among younger segments of the population, who are unfamiliar with pornography. This fact can lead to greater vulnerability, especially for women who are recruited by this pornography-prostitution industry from their own homes or through cell phones and computers.

Have you observed changes in the perception of sexual consent among young people as a result of their exposure to explicit content on the internet?

— It has been observed that massive exposure to explicit content on the Internet, especially pornography, has generated profound changes in the perception and practice of sexual consent among young people. According to international research, porn The current situation does not represent consent: there is no dialogue between the people who participate in pornographic representation, so young people often lack models to recognize or express consent in sexual reality. Affective-sexual education should show modalities of consent or non-consent, since porn ignores both verbal and nonverbal consent, and many young people do not know how to read its signals.

— Furthermore, pornography, which becomes the primary source of sexual socialization, induces perceptual distortions about what is normal, desired, or permitted, and links sex to violent or empathetic practices. We have been able to study how the disconnection from empathy and the normalization of risky or aggressive practices have been linked to this consumption, as well as the difficulty in understanding the other person as a person with real rights, desires, and limits.

— The lack of formal sexual education, the lack of adequate affective-sexual education, accentuates this problem, and the new pornography not only transforms behavior but also attitudes and the very capacity to recognize and respect sexual consent.

What role do families and schools play in educating on these issues in the face of the influence of the Internet?

— Families and schools play a fundamental role in affective-sexual education, but this role has been seriously overshadowed by the massive influence of the internet and screens. Children and adolescents spend many hours in front of screens where they have access to explicit sexual content without filters or educational context, and neither families nor schools, until now, have been able to set limits or provide adequate tools to interpret and manage this content.

— Affective-sexual education must be comprehensive, ongoing, and based on scientific knowledge, not just one-off talks. It must be done by trained and accredited professionals, and with broader social support involving families, schools, and society at large. Parents must observe, listen, ask questions, and maintain open and honest communication with their children. It is also important for schools, with appropriate programs, to provide tools for building a conscious and critical understanding of emotions, relationships, and sexuality.

— Many families deny the problem, and many policymakers fail to understand the scale of the phenomenon, making it difficult to implement effective education that can counteract the influence of the internet.

What challenges and opportunities does the digitalization of sexuality and prostitution pose for society, and for young people in particular?

— The digitalization of sexuality and prostitution presents significant challenges for society, especially for young people. Among the main challenges are: first, increased exposure and vulnerability. The internet and digital networks have amplified the supply and accessibility of sexual services and content, generating greater exposure to the risk of exploitation, abuse, violence, and risky sexual practices, often inspired by the most violent or extreme pornography models.

— Invisibility and relocation. Prostitution has become a much more invisible and dispersed activity, difficult to identify and control, facilitating the recruitment of minors or vulnerable people and the impunity of intermediaries.

— The normalization of practices of domination and inequality. The dynamics transmitted through pornography and prostitution. on-line They reinforce unequal roles and fantasies of sexual dominance that can limit empathy, respect, and the ability to recognize consent, creating unrealistic expectations for younger people.

— The difficulty of protection. The blurred boundaries of the digital space make legal intervention, family and educational oversight, and risk prevention among adolescents difficult.

— Digitalization demands a much better-prepared society, with critical sexuality education, as well as digital education, innovative legal regulation, and protection policies that truly protect the most vulnerable groups, addressing the risks and potential of the digital environment.