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“Pornography has become the sexuality educator for many adolescents.” This statement is supported by numerous studies and data: minors access pornography between 9 and 11 years of age on average, between 80% and 90% of young people have seen porn at some time and this has generated a hypersexualized society. Between 3% and 8% of people develop problems derived from this addiction. This was pointed out by psychologist Alejandro Villena at the conference “How to deal with pornography addiction”, organized by Villanueva University as part of the series of conferences on Education and Psychology 2021. Despite this, as Teresa Artola, director of the Degree in Psychology at Villanova University, explained in the introduction to the conference, “this is a subject with a great impact on society, but a bit taboo, which is hardly talked about”.

Compulsive Sexual Behavior

Villena is a general health psychologist and collaborates as a consultant with the Dale Una Vuelta Association, which offers assistance to all kinds of people with Compulsive Sexual Behavior (CSC) or Problematic Use of Pornography, two of the clinical terms used for pornography addiction, despite the fact that it shares many characteristics with other addictions such as alcohol, drugs or gambling. Some data help to place it in the same field, such as the fact that 87% of compulsive masturbation is associated with the use of pornography. The criteria for detecting a person with addiction make it clear: lack of control, repetitive and unsuccessful efforts to stop, loss of pleasure and neglect of day-to-day obligations.

Industry and sexual violence

One of the most serious problems is the distorted and violent image of sex that pornography generates in young people. “The greater the use of pornography, the higher the level of sexual aggression in real life,” Villena said. The porn industry is a billion-dollar giant that already generates more revenue than the major international television networks: for every Hollywood movie released, there are 27 pornographic ones. And most include scenes of sexual violence. This environment extends to video games: 88% now include some kind of verbal or physical violence. “It’s not that pornography is going to turn you into a sexual aggressor, but it trivializes and normalizes violence,” explained Villena, who assured that women’s own perception of sexual violence is altered: “A woman who watches pornography is less likely to report a real rape.”

The psychologist reviewed the consequences, such as affective ones: “Pornography, in the end, is not living sexuality, it is observing sexuality. It is a form of voyeurism,” he stressed. He also recalled that 77% of families have never discussed sexuality with their children. “Sex education is still a taboo,” she stated. “Sex education is a long-distance race. Talking about sexuality does not promote sexual behaviors.”

Warning signs

Villena reviewed the warning signs, especially in the case of young people: lack of communication, excessive use of new technologies, search for places of solitude… In addition, she recalled, there are studied factors that predispose to the addictive consumption of pornography, starting with the sexual education received, without forgetting crises, trauma or abuse, different attachment styles and low self-esteem.

Villena offered advice to prevent this problem at an early stage: have books at home that young people can pick up and read, watch movies together and comment on situations and relationships of their characters, use music and songs to address sexuality, take advantage of brother or sister baths, or stay at beaches, swimming pools or locker rooms to talk about sexuality and the body. And of course, be a role model for them.

New technologies and sexting

It is also advisable to go on social networks with your children: three out of ten teenagers practice sexting. Experts suggest establishing “technology contracts” with children (delimiting when and how they can use their devices or the Internet). It is advisable to use filters for younger children. In fact, Villena drew attention to the lack of legislation similar to that on gambling to prevent minors from accessing pornographic websites by requesting an ID card.

Adult film producers and distributors bemoan the institutional silence in the face of their proposals to limit access by minors

Online porn has also experienced its own particular pandemic in the middle of a pandemic. As you know, confinement, as well as friction, makes love. More than a year ago, the producers, editors and distributors of Spanish adult films gathered in Apeoga decided to launch their particular platform called Vivex.tv. That was in January. In March, the lock-in began and, from its hand, the closest thing to what could be considered, without much imagination, the G-spot of success. Remember that at that time many of the best-known websites dedicated to the subject had even opened their contents completely. Far from the figures of their counterparts (either in cinema for all or in the most popular websites in the field), now Vivex.tv boasts a thousand subscribers. The numbers are not outrageous, but they are in line with self-imposed limitations. “Our priority is to protect minors,” says Antonio Marcos, president of the association and himself a producer.

Indeed, Vivex.tv was the first of all the existing platforms to set up a system whereby only those of legal age could access it. The welcome page requires the copying of a series of ID card numbers in which the age is encoded. “There is no trace of this data. We don’t store it and it’s not associated with anything. It’s just an entry key,” Marcos points out to allay suspicions. Well, now the association regrets that no one has recognized their efforts and that they have not even been heard by the Ministry of Culture or any other organization. “If the Instituto del Cine (ICAA) arbitrates an age system for commercial cinema, why is it so unconcerned with something as sensitive as pornographic cinema?” asks Marcos.

For Marcos, a porn veteran whose credits include such emblematic titles as ‘Por un puñado de polvos’ (shot on the same set as Leone’s film), what is happening today, far from unprotecting a sector that wants to be regulated, protects another completely unregulated one. And he explains: “Sites like Pornhub or Onlyfans currently function as pimps 2.0. And no one seems to feel concerned about it beyond high-sounding statements”. The second of these theoretically allows, and as described by the producer, anyone to be an adult film star. “That’s the hook and it’s a lie,” he explains. “In reality, what it facilitates and actualizes is the lifelong business of prostitution where pimps take a percentage of the profits made from viewings,” he adds.

“On the other hand,” Marcos continues, “no one is unaware that the real business of these pages is the data obtained from users. And we are talking about very sensitive data. What kind of society do we aspire to if what is being traded is the spying on children and young people? And in the question he leaves what he wants to be the declaration of principles of his platform.

In Vivex.tv any sexual practice that has to do with the humiliation of women or “with brutal scenes” is forbidden, he points out. “We are aware that whenever pornography is talked about, it is globally rejected and we are all considered the same. And no. We have bylaws that do not admit any violence. We believe in freedom among adults,” he says, and gives an example of what he considers to be a tremendously unfair and shameful situation: “Not so long ago, Pornhub announced the withdrawal of content for including pederasty and humiliation. But nothing happened. It is still open. If we did something similar, we would be shut down immediately. And I would not be against it.

The nine production companies that are still standing after the successive crises suffered by this film genre beset by new technologies are represented in Apeoga. Theirs is an option that bets on the classic ways. They do not offer scenes to be consumed bulimically. The archive is made up of about 250 films that include the first pornographic scenes shot in Spain and produced by King Alfonso XIII. That and the films of Poli Diaz or La Veneno. “Here are many of us who started in the 90s because we thought it was fun to break with the stereotype that porn was only made outside,” he concludes. And from those… these muds.

Public relations of Chevalier, early retired worker of the Post Office, singer, painter and writer, Leal rescues experiences of the legendary discotheque of Santa Cristina

On Sunday nights Chevalier was at full capacity. They came to work 40 employees to attend to so many customers. Now that we talk about the capacities, the capacity of this discotheque was 800 people, but when there was a party or the week was coming to an end, the number multiplied. Camilo Leal, who was the public relations and alma mater of the place, prefers not to go into details, but he remembers a lot of anecdotes. “Once it happened that the day of the Rosary fell on a Monday and, since it was a holiday, everyone went to Santa Cristina. The bridge of A Pasaxe collapsed twice and there was not a single place to park,” he says. In those Sunday evenings, Deportivo’s players did not fail to show up. “They would come for free, no matter who they were. They dragged a lot of girls and a lot of people. I remember that once in Riazor the fans chanted something like “less Chevalier and more playing”. I have no idea about soccer and I hardly recognized them. I really liked Fran, who was the one I dealt with the most,” he says. Another highlight of the club was the parties, from university parties to costume parties, including bachelorette parties. “We were pioneers in having sexy boys and in giving prominence to drag queens. I organized a porn party and 4,000 people came. A movie was being shot live. But we had a bomb threat and had to evacuate,” he says as he sips a gin and tonic.

Always at the post office

He is 64 years old and looks splendid and has a tan that contrasts with this rainy week. “As soon as the sun comes out I go to the beach. In January and February I usually travel to Bali, Thailand or Indonesia. I go for one or two months. This year it wasn’t possible, but I can’t live without the beach and the sea,” he says. He worked at the post office all his life, from 1976 until four years ago when his aorta forced him to stop. “I had a very serious heart problem that few people get over. I was lucky,” he says. Throughout his time at Chevalier, from the 1990s onwards, he would get home at five in the morning on Sundays. “And at seven o’clock I would get up to go to the post office. And in the afternoons to prepare things for the disco. It’s not like throwing a party and sticking up a poster. We involved a lot of people. I remember when I proposed to my bosses about the open bar on New Year’s Eve. They thought I was crazy, but it was done and it was a success”.

Singer, painter and writer

He was born in Vilalba, but at the age of 4 he was already living in San Pedro de Nós. His name is Camilo Febreiro Leal, but he only uses the second surname because “it is more commercial. I always wanted to dedicate myself to music. I sing and compose, and I worked with Tony Ronald,” he recalls as he shows me on his cell phone photographs of press clippings announcing his performances. He got married (he is now separated) and has a 34-year-old daughter. With his ex-wife he participated in the program Media naranja, by Jesús Puente. “We won 2 million pesetas (12,000 euros)”. Camilo also paints, but he never exhibited his creations. “I am a cubist and I always admired Picasso. I give the paintings to friends. I am also writing a book that is going to be titled Manual del hombre perfecto abandonado. Not suitable for feminists,” she says. Although he tries to lead a quiet life, he rubs his hands together when he thinks of the desire people will have to go out when the pandemic is over. “I have a project on the outskirts of the city to hold events for 2,000 or 3,000 people. The nightlife now is worse than it used to be. I have so many things to do. I’m not going to sit and watch the hearse go by,” he muses. In the meantime he continues to listen to music. “I love boleros, black music and broken voices, like Joe Cocker or Tina Turner,” says this man who saw thousands and thousands of people pass through Chevalier. “The night is about hearing, seeing and keeping quiet. It’s about having a good time and consuming,” he says. I ask him about the amount of money that could be left in the till on one of those mythical Sundays of Santa Cristina. “Between gentlemen we don’t talk about money,” he answers, and takes another sip of his glass.