As a result, increasing numbers of men admit they are compulsive users ? and that their girlfriends are disgusted with their addiction.

But a new book, One For The Girls!, by Clarissa Smith, senior lecturer in media and cultural studies at the University of Sunderland, claims that not all women are repelled by porn.

In fact, it's the opposite; women, says Smith, are new consumers. 'In the past, we had access issues but today there are many more women-friendly sex shops that cater to all tastes,' she says. 'Before, we would never go to the newsagent and reach for the top shelf.'

Of course, Smith also acknowledges that today's women are a different breed:

'We have higher expectations of what we're entitled to and know that an orgasm is our right; we don't just have sex with our husband to keep him happy. We have sexual feelings and want to find means of having them.'

Members' clubs

But are women really sitting at home watching porn on their laptops and TVs?

According to analysts Nielsen NetRatings, they are. A 2006 survey found the number of women downloading Internet porn had soared to 1.4million.

A quick search on Google reveals numerous porn sites aimed at women. One offers images of 'hot men', horoscopes and romantic stories. Hardly hardcore.

But scroll down the page and you'll find a huge photo gallery of naked ? and aroused ? men.

Simply a visual aid

Julia, 31, from East London, admits she has recently started viewing porn: 'I bought some DVDs to watch with my boyfriend but I have started to watch them on my own.

I only do it if my flatmate is out; I'd be really embarrassed if she knew what was going on in my bedroom.

To me, they're simply a visual aid and no reflection of my sex life or my relationship.'

In Smith's book, which focuses on an erotic magazine, For Women, one woman, Jane, finds porn helps get her in the mood for her weekend:

'I often use the magazine as a turn-on for masturbation or as a prelude for sex. Sometimes, before going out for an evening, I'll look through some mags until I become excited, which can often leave me sexually aroused for hours. If my date does not go as planned, I still have them when I get home.'

Kelly, 26, from Brighton, also needs help to get in the mood:

'Most men can get an erection pretty quickly while women prefer to be seduced, romanced and, if we're lucky, even get a bit of foreplay. A quickie is good every now and again but I like to be turned on first. Porn sometimes helps.'

Anna Span, 35, is a porn director from London and has films such as Hoxton Honey and Eat Me/Keep Me under her belt.

She says that women have always had an interest in porn: 'The fact that we were so enraged about it in the first place was indicative of a certain desire for it.

I was anti-porn but then realised my anger was jealousy.

Men's sexuality was being catered for and ours wasn't.'

Porn with a plot

But regardless of desire, Span says women still expect a certain quality: 'My films are different because they feature good-looking men and I spend a lot of time auditioning for them. I use good styling and good casting. Some of the films are like soap operas because women like to hear about other people's lives.

I mix fantasy with reality and don't market my films by body type, such as ?big tits?, simply because women are less likely to think like that.'

So we know what we like and don't like but is society ready for us? Probably not, says Smith: 'Women who admit to enjoying porn do feel guilty about enjoying sex without the love and romance and do worry that they're sluts.

They think they shouldn't be enjoying it so, on that basis, we still have a long way to go.' In the meantime, there's no harm in looking?

SOURCE: Lisa Scott, metro.co.uk