HDR Candidate: Menzel, Miranda


Title of Project How do Pentecostal Women Explain, Understand and React to Pornography Consumption by Household Partners?
Course of Study Doctor of Philosophy
Language of Instruction English
Abstract

Little is known about how Christian women react when they find out their partners are using pornography. This sociological research attempts to understand how Pentecostal women understand, explain, and react to this consumption. Academics, politicians, and professionals have declared pornography a 'public health crisis'; therefore, researchers are urging others to articulate the 'gaps' and 'propose innovative…' solutions' to 'mitigate the harms' of pornography consumption (Rothman, 2016). This study assists in addressing such gaps by interviewing women whose partners have consumed pornography, and through developing a substantial explanation of how Christian women understand, explain and react to the consumption. This project's methodological approach incorporates two datasets. The first involves qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with women who are in a committed relationship with a male pornography user, either now or in the past. They will be asked questions that investigate their reactions, responses, faith-based perceptions, and their interpretation of events, their partner, and their relationship in order to generate data that will be analysed to answer the research question, which enquires as to how a woman’s membership of a Pentecostal denomination may influence her perception of pornography consumption by a partner. The context of this influence—the church community itself—is the second object of analysis, and data collection will attempt to describe the doctrine and teachings that may contribute to the input and values from leaders regarding pornography consumption within their church settings.