Seeing pornography is not inherently hazardous to males or women. But I would provide some cautions. There are individuals who most likely should not see pornography, like those with bad body image or those who have actually been sexually victimized. Depending on your choice in viewing, you can develop unrealistic expectations about sex or what people like or how you'll be expected to "perform." And viewing with someone requires true permission.
When none of these red flags are up, pornography can certainly have benefits. Counselors in some cases suggest it to help people become comfortable with a particular fantasy they or their partner may have. Pornography can reboot a couple's sex life. It can provide you ideas, or help you contact what turns you on.
Pornography can reboot a couple's sex life. It can provide you ideas, or help you get in touch with what turns you on. Porn can provide you there at best, or disgust you at worst. Everything depends on what you select to view. With the availability of porn online, it's possible to sample enough porn quickly that you don't need to find yourself seeing wall-to-wall hard-core sex if it's plot driven erotica that interest you. You're just a victim of bad pornography if you let yourself be.
And a word about sex or pornography dependency. I don't believe in it. Unlike a chemical substance, like opiates, you can't become "addicted" to sex or porn; you can become a compulsive audience. In this case, it's not the pornography that's the issue; it's the compulsive character. If it weren't porn being used to act out one's compulsive nature, it might be food or some other behavior.
As for whether it's harmful or beneficial to the performers, let's take females initially. There are some who select to perform because they like sex a lot and they consider it a great way to earn money. Then there are those who are drawn to porn as a method of acting out subconscious mental problems-- looking for daddy's love or punishment for being a bad lady. For lots of, it's most likely a little of each. Even ladies with the best mental health will deal with some disadvantages from this work. Our culture takes in porn at record numbers, but the women who carry out are still evaluated roughly.
I'm uncertain the male performers go out entirely untouched either. While they might not be judged as harshly as the females, eventually they're viewed as freaks who make their living with their anatomy. John Holmes's fate is the ultimate cautionary tale.
Maybe if we weren't still so taken in with regret and shame about sex, neither watching nor carrying out in these movies would carry the weight it does. But then, maybe we wouldn't be so interested in them, either. If the fruit were not prohibited, would anybody care to take here a bite?