Page 4691 - Week 16 - Wednesday, 28 November 1990
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Pornography degrades both men and women. Men are shown to be lustful and unable to control themselves; women are depicted as playthings to be used anywhere and at any time. Lesbianism is presented as being quite commonplace. According to pornography, women are always available to any man and eager to please in any way, often with multiple partners. This unrealistic portrayal of sexual behaviour can lead to unreasonable expectations and demands by men and, in turn, place unreasonable pressure on women to act in a manner that is distasteful to them.
Child pornography is already refused classification in this country and is therefore banned. However, many pornographic videos have titles which deliberately suggest involvement by and with very young people. They will appeal to those who already lust in that direction and, by heightening desire in those people, the risk of sexual abuse of children is increased.
There are no morals in the sex portrayed by pornography. Anything goes; there are no limits; excess is the order of the day. Past great civilisations have fallen because of excesses in the community and declining moral values. Consequently, governments have a responsibility to provide moral leadership, especially for the young. Moral leadership is dependent not on deep religious conviction but on just a sense of what is right and what is definitely wrong.
Some regard the laws restricting availability to persons over 18 as a sufficient safeguard against the inherent dangers of pornography. There are several reasons why they are not. Firstly, there is an assumption that persons of that age will be unaffected, but educators agree that visual stimulus is the most powerful of all. Secondly, the great bulk of the material is sold by mail order, but the distributors cannot determine that the recipient is over 18. Thirdly, there is nothing to stop an adult obtaining the material on behalf of a minor. Finally, control over the material is lost after the sale. Pornography can, and does, find its way into the hands of children through sheer negligence.
There is an argument that these publications are useful in helping people with sexual inhibitions or hang-ups. This is akin to showing people who have difficulty accepting death videos about wanton killing. People with sexual hang-ups are surely the most unlikely to be psychologically capable of handling pornography. A similar argument is advanced that pornography assists the release of sexual tension. Is not the more likely effect an increase in sexual desire, leading to possible sexual crime? Even the argument that pornographic videos can inject life back into a failing or boring relationship is fallacious. The desensitising effect of pornography is more likely to increase dissatisfaction with the partner who may not be as young and attractive or as unrestrained as those portrayed in the video.
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