New global spending data has sparked intense public debate across Trinidad and Tobago after revealing that domestic users spent a total of US$1.57 million on subscription-based adult content platform OnlyFans in 2025. This figure marks a 15.9% increase from 2024’s total of US$1.35 million, placing the twin-island nation in a notable position in regional and global rankings.
Across the 188 countries included in the global revenue dataset, Trinidad and Tobago ranks 67th when adjusted for spending per 10,000 users, with an average per-capita-aligned spend of US$11,884.46. Within the Americas, covering both North and South America, the country places 14th among the highest-spending nations on a per-capita basis, signaling that consumption of adult digital content is far more prevalent in the local market than many public narratives have previously acknowledged.
Leading psychiatrist Dr Varma Deyalsingh was among the first experts to respond to the newly released data, pushing back against widespread social stigma attached to adult content consumption. He emphasized that consenting adult citizens hold the right to manage their personal spending according to their own preferences, arguing that consumption of pornography has evolved from a fringe activity to a widely accepted mainstream practice in modern digital society.
Contrary to common popular myths, Deyalsingh noted that existing research does not support the claim that all people who watch adult content develop violent tendencies, become dysfunctional in daily life, or develop problematic addictions. “Many adults consume pornography occasionally without major disruption to their lives or relationships,” he explained in a statement to local media outlet Trinidad Express.
Addressing concerns about the economic impact of the spending, which draws heavily on foreign exchange reserves, Deyalsingh pointed out that outflow of US currency to foreign digital platforms is not a new phenomenon unique to OnlyFans. Trinidad and Tobago consumers already spend billions annually on other global digital services, including Netflix subscriptions, Amazon retail purchases, Spotify streaming, and online gaming, framing the OnlyFans spending as part of a broader shift to digital global consumption.
Deyalsingh stressed that the growing popularity of adult content reflects broader shifts in modern culture, where sexuality has become increasingly commercialized and digitized. Easy accessibility of online content and the normalization of sexual content through mainstream social media have helped erase the stigma once attached to porn consumption, he said, adding that “no one should be shamed for their sexual behaviours once they are not harming themselves or others.”
Outlining the spectrum of adult content use, Deyalsingh cited global statistics showing that approximately 70% of men and 30% of women consume porn regularly. He also noted that consumption rose by 11% globally during the Covid-19 pandemic, a surge driven by factors including widespread boredom, a need to release accumulated emotional stress, natural curiosity, interest in sexual education, and basic sexual release needs.
Dr Victoria Siewnarine-Geelalsingh, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Psychologists, offered a complementary perspective that avoids moral judgment while highlighting the underlying emotional roots of consistent adult content consumption. “Through a clinical lens, it is a sign of an emotional need,” she explained. “Many are navigating feelings of isolation. Feeling overwhelmed. Feeling unseen. What may look like a simple pastime can sometimes be a way of coping with untreated anxiety. Depression. Profound loneliness.”
Siewnarine-Geelalsingh added that the human brain is inherently wired to seek connection, and when in-person nurturing bonds become difficult to form or maintain, digital sexual experiences often fill that gap temporarily. These experiences offer quick relief and a moment of escape from daily stress, but that comfort is almost always short-lived. Over time, reliance on digital content can form a repeating cycle that eases distress in the moment without addressing the underlying emotional loneliness or unmet needs driving the behavior.
“This is not a personal failing. It is a very human response to pain. And it quietly places strain on the foundations of our society,” she noted, adding that while the impact of increased adult content consumption is often framed as a purely personal issue, it also carries broader ripple effects across public systems including education, family structure, and community well-being, and can even be linked to increased rates of harmful criminal behavior in some contexts.
Not all community leaders have taken a neutral or non-judgmental stance, however. Dr Burris Ellis, president of the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) of Trinidad and Tobago, made clear in a phone interview that his organization does not support the growing normalization of pornography consumption. “IRO is not supporting pornography because it affects the mind of children and adults. Anything that will bring immorality in the society will not be supported. I’m not a fan. It encourages lewd behaviour,” Ellis said.