Page 1265 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 24 April 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
relaxation of the crime laws could not be the reason for that fall. The Danish study showed a decrease of 60 per cent in sex crimes against children under six years of age. These are irrefutable figures and statistics which I think put paid to the anecdotal evidence that was put forward by those who support this ban.
A recent US study showed that there is no relationship between the levels of readership of sex magazines and use of X-rated cinemas and the rape rate. The study found that rape rates were related to the general level of crime, as they always are. Rape is a crime. It is not a sexual offence; it is a crime of power.
The overwhelming weight of research evidence shows that there is no proven causal relationship between non-violent erotic videos, pornography and sex crime. This view is supported by the Australian Institute of Criminology. Ms Follett and Mr Moore have used the evidence from the institute to back that argument.
It is obvious that some rapists view pornography, but this does not prove causation and is analogous to linking alcoholism and wife abuse. It is an excuse to say that, because someone has viewed pornography, that person will commit rape, just as it is an excuse to say, "I was drunk; therefore I beat my wife". There is no causal link whatsoever; it is an excuse.
The causes of sex crimes are a complex issue and can depend, amongst other things, on the socioeconomic background and psychological make-up of the perpetrator. Tonight we have heard horrific stories of rape and incest. They were around a long time before pornography was widely available. If you do not believe me, check the Bible. The death row confessions of people like Ted Bundy do nothing to further our understanding of the issue of pornography. I am of the firm belief, having availed myself of the evidence about Bundy, that the man was grasping at straws, trying to save his neck. The anti-pornography lobby appears uninterested in the real cause of sexual crime. It is not a sexual matter but one of power relationships - of violence rather than sex.
While in New Zealand last week I took the opportunity to meet officers of the Department of Internal Affairs about this issue. People like to think poor old, staid New Zealand is miles behind us. It has X-rated material available quite freely. The reason I spoke to the officers about this issue was that the report of the Ministerial Committee of Inquiry into Pornography was brought down there late last year. It was a very comprehensive inquiry, and 202 recommendations were made about pornography. Not one recommendation of 202 recommends the banning of non-violent erotic material - X-rated material which is currently available in the ACT.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .