Page 21 - EW Magazine 5-2 FINAL

extraordinary women Volume 5 I ssue 2 21

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The statistics are truly staggering. As of June 30, 2012, Internet World Stats reports there are more than 245 million Internet users in the United States alone, and 20-43% of them are online for sexual purposes. Close to 30,000 Internet users are viewing pornography every second, and every 39 minutes a new pornographic video is produced. The pornography industry is an astonishingly lucrative busi-ness, with larger revenues than Google, Amazon, Microsoft, eBay, Apple, Yahoo and Netflix combined. This epidemic has a devastating impact on marriage, as approximately 46% of U.S. divorces cite Internet porn as a contributing factor.

You pray the scourge of this epidemic doesn’t infect your home, but how can you respond if you find that it does? What steps do you take if your husband has become caught in the snare of pornography or, worse, is fully addicted? First, take heart. Believe God’s promise that the truth will set you free (John 8:32). Take comfort that couples who have walked through the pain of addressing pornography often rate their relationships stronger and more intimate than they were before. The shock of discovery or disclosure of this betrayal can actually be the door that leads to the kind of godly and fulfilling relationship you’ve always wanted. Lean

Marnie C. Ferree

You’ve heard the startling reports about the number of men, including Christian men, who are viewing pornography. Perhaps your husband has come home from a men’s prayer breakfast, retreat or “purity” conference and told you about the speaker’s message focused on the dangers of pornography and the emotional response of men in attendance who confessed to occasionally or regularly accessing this type of material. You know the lure is strong and the supply is constantly available. You’re reassured by your husband’s promise that he “isn’t into that stuff.” But still....

pornography:

what you can do if your relationship is affected