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Hentai Explained
Hentai, a popular form of animated pornography, often depicts sexual violence, child-like characters, and abusive scenarios. For UK professionals, understanding its risks is crucial.
What is Hentai?
Hentai is a genre of sexually explicit animation and comics that originated in Japan but is now consumed worldwide. In the UK and internationally, it is one of the most popular forms of online pornography. On Pornhub, “hentai” has been the most searched term in multiple years (Pornhub Insights, 2022).
Unlike mainstream pornography, hentai often features:
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Child-like characters (sometimes called lolicon for girls and shotacon for boys).
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Fantastical or monstrous themes, such as tentacle rape.
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Incest narratives, often involving minors.
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Extreme violence, with female and child-coded characters shown as targets of abuse.
Although animated, hentai often blurs the line between fantasy and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In the UK, possession of “prohibited images of children” includes drawn or animated depictions of sexual activity involving children, which can make hentai illegal if it portrays under-18s in sexual contexts (Crown Prosecution Service, 2023).
Why You Need to Pay Attention
Hentai is not a niche issue. Its global availability, free access, and child-like aesthetics make it especially concerning for safeguarding. Professionals working in sexual abuse prevention and response should be aware of three main risks:
Normalisation of Child Sexual Abuse
Hentai often portrays children or child-coded characters as sexual objects.
Studies show that viewing sexualised cartoons can increase cognitive distortions around children and contribute to the acceptance of rape myths (Wright et al., 2016; Foubert et al., 2011).
Offenders who consume real CSAM are also more likely to consume hentai (Steel et al., 2021).
Gateway to Harmful Sexual Behaviours
Overexposure to extreme pornography can lead to desensitisation and increased tolerance for sexual violence (Linz, 1985; Kunaharan et al., 2020).
Hentai allows exploration of “borderline illegal” fantasies (Ortega-Brena, 2009).
This can shape sexual scripts that prioritise coercion, violence, and non-consent.
Risks for Young People
Research shows children as young as 6–12 are disproportionately exposed to hentai compared with adults (Merdian et al., 2022).
Young viewers may internalise harmful gender roles and become more tolerant of violence against women (Rodenhizer & Edwards, 2019).
Girls exposed to porn at an early age are at increased risk of later sexual victimisation (Harsey et al., 2021).
Hentai Subgenres and Safeguarding Risks
| Subgenre | Description | Concerns |
|---|---|---|
| Lolicon/Shotacon | Sexualised depictions of child-like characters. | Can constitute CSAM under UK law; normalises adult–child sexual relationships. |
| Incest | Parent–child, sibling, or teacher–student scenarios. | Reinforces grooming scripts and power imbalance dynamics. |
| Tentacle/Monster Rape | Fantastical creatures assaulting child-like characters. | Extreme violence; promotes sexual sadism and dehumanisation. |
| Schoolgirl/Cosplay | Minors or young women in school uniforms. | Links sexual desire to underage identity markers. |
| Rape/Non-consent | Characters forced into sex. | Encourages acceptance of coercion and rape myths. |
Legal Framework in the UK
The Obscene Publications Act 1959 and Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 criminalise possession of “extreme pornography,” including depictions of rape.
The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 prohibits possession of “prohibited images of children,” which includes sexualised drawings and animations.
Professionals should be aware that hentai featuring under-18 characters may fall under this category, making possession a criminal offence.
Impact on Sexual Attitudes and Behaviour
Desensitisation
Repeated exposure to violent pornography reduces emotional response and increases acceptance of sexual violence (Carvalho & Rosa, 2020).
Rape Myth Endorsement
Hentai use is linked to greater belief in rape myths, which minimise victim harm and excuse perpetrators (Burt, 1980; Foubert et al., 2011).
Risk of Escalation
Over 40% of men who consume CSAM online report attempting to contact real children (Insoll et al., 2022). Hentai can act as a stepping stone.
Supporting Survivors and Responding to Risks
Professionals should:
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Recognise triggers: Survivors of sexual abuse may be retraumatised if exposed to hentai-related material.
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Address shame: Individuals disclosing hentai use may feel deep shame. Normalising conversations about risk can reduce secrecy.
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Challenge rape myths: Work with young people and adults to unpack harmful beliefs normalised by hentai.
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Signpost support: Safeline offers confidential helplines, counselling, and ISVA services. For people worried about their sexual thoughts towards children, Stop It Now! provides specialist support.
At Safeline, we:
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Support survivors of sexual abuse who may have been harmed by exposure to image-based sexual abuse.
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Provide a range of training for professionals abour preventing and responding to sexual abuse.
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Offer resources for parents, carers, and educators to safeguard children from exposure.