The resolution fiercely condemns pornography and its industry. Pornography
undermines gender equality and is dangerous to the development of young people.
The resolution calls for caution and measures regulating the distribution of
explicit sexual content and reiterates that, although pornography can be a form
of freedom of expression, this can be limited by law to protect the human
rights. The Assembly calls upon its members to introduce comprehensive
sexuality education, introduce warning systems on pornographic websites,
install porn filters in the workplace and public libraries and schools,
criminalize revenge porn, consider to ban public advertising of pornography and
to provide adequate services to people wanting to exit the porn industry and
people suffering from an addiction to pornography.
This article gives an overview of
the report written by rapporteur Frank Heinrich (EPP/CD, Germany) listing the
effects and impact of pornography and its industry and expanding on certain
points made. Following to the positive sides of the report, is a section with
critique and concern in order to challenge certain elements of the document and
to introduce lacking issues linked to pornography that deserve our attention.
Everyone watches it, right?
The report starts by acknowledging
the massive use and consumption of pornography in today’s society: six out of
ten men and four out of ten women consume pornography monthly, half of the
internet content is sex-related, and porn websites have more visits than
Netflix, Amazon and Twitter combined. The evolution of the internet has made sexually
explicit material easily accessible, more affordable and anonymous. Pornography
has become a mass phenomenon.
As it a widespread problem. The
impact of pornography is large and should not be underestimated. It influences
our societies. Particularly among young people and children, it shapes the
attitudes and ideas on sex, sexuality and personal relationships, and has
impact on a person’s behavior and health. Inevitably, it also impacts the
general population. The report is rather clear and straightforward on the
negative effects of pornography on youngsters.
“The connection between sexual violence and porn is controversial in society and media, but it is well documented”
The report gives adequate attention
to the relationship between the use and consumption of pornographic material
and violence, especially against females. “The connection between sexual
violence and porn is controversial in society and media, but it is well
documented”, the report says. Mainstream porn is violent and portrays
aggression and violence to be acceptable and desirable in a sexual and romantic
relationship. Frequent and excessive consumption of pornography – violent and
non-violent – is associated with sexual harassment, sexual coercion, tolerance
of unwanted sexual behavior and the support of violence against women. Young
users of (violent) pornography are more likely to support rape myths and feel
less emphatic of victims of sexual violence. Moreover, porn consumption is
considered a risk factor for sexual violence, offences, and aggression.
In addition to violence against women, pornography also contributes to the depiction of women and girls as mere objects that are meant to be used to satisfy the sexual desires and needs of men. Porn consumption is associated with this reduction of women to sexual objects and young people appear to be more sensitive to this notion.
Dissatisfaction, dysfunction and drug-like addiction
The report puts forward multiple effects of the consumption of
pornography. Some of them are widely known. It is known that porn consumption
has a negative association with the sexual satisfaction and attractiveness of
consumers themselves and their partners. The report draws the connection
between the increasing consumption of porn and the increasing number of
erectile dysfunctions among men younger than 30 years old and the increasing
demand of non-medical genital surgery among young women and girls.
The addiction to pornography appears to have similar negative effects on the brain as addictions to drugs or gambling. Moreover, the report states that a porn addiction can lead to desensitization which can cause the person’s need for more extreme or violent content. One of the adopted PACE recommendations is the call on member states to provide and promote counselling and support services for people struggling with an addiction to pornography.
Porn: sex education
Young people’s idea on sex and
sexuality are very much influenced by pornography nowadays. This largely is the
result of the fact, that explicit sexual content has become their main source of
information on sexuality, because of the failing of school programs and the increasing
accessibility of pornographic materials. This is problematic as scholars and
experts have made it clear that pornography is not and cannot be a substitute for
sexual education.
Introduction of 'Comprehensive Sexuality Education'
The resolution calls on its members to ensure comprehensive sexuality education for young people and children, as the report also recommends. It also calls that comprehensive sexuality education should be mandatory in school curricula and must be made available as out-of-school programs. Later on in this article, there is an elaboration on the issue of comprehensive sexuality education.
Do we want this for the next generations?
The report has an extensive part on
the effects of pornography on young people and children. As mentioned earlier,
pornographic material is widespread and consumed massively. This is equally
true for young people: the majority of 15-year-old children have been exposed
to sexual explicit content, intentionally or unintentionally. Boys tend to be
exposed earlier to pornography and watch more images and also more extreme
images whereas girls have more involuntary encounters with pornography. These
encounters are often through pop-up’s and advertisement on internet websites. Unintentional
and unwanted exposure to pornography can do psychological and emotional harm
unto children and might have consequences in shaping their identities.
Copycat Behavior
Pornography tends to have an impact on young people’s behavior. They are
likely to copy what they see in pornographic content and expect themselves and
their partner to behave the same as performers do, particularly when the
performers are teens and match their age. This does not only lead to
unrealistic expectations of sex, but the effects can also be far more severe.
The consumption may cause youngsters to internalize the sexual scripts used in
pornography. Pornography where older men sexually interact with young girls
contributes to the sexual norm that very young girls – potentially minors – are
targets for sex and makes the sexualization of very young girls and women
acceptable, normative and desirable. Moreover, the sexual script often used in
porn in which no means yes, can teach young people problematic ideas on consent
and increase the development of sexual aggression. As mainstream pornography
tends to be violent, young people may see aggression acceptable and desirable
in a sexual and romantic relation and, in case of girls, feel pressured to
enjoy aggressive and degrading acts or, in case of boys, feel pressured to be
aggressive to fulfill their partners’ sexual desires.
Another important point made in the report is that that pornography
negatively impacts the attitude on gender equality. Furthermore, it makes young
people more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior and unprotected sex.
Lacking Protection of Minors
Existing age restrictions are not effectively enforced, and children have access to deviant and violent pornographic content. Rapporteur Frank Heinrich is clear on the matter: when it comes to children the regulatory bodies have the responsibility to protect them. The resolutions adopted by the Assembly correspond to this notion as there is called for warning label systems for pornographic websites on the potential harms of pornographic use and consumption, the requirement of installed porn blocking internet filters in public libraries and school, the consideration of banning public advertising of pornography and the consideration of a countrywide age verification to access pornography or a legal obligation for porn distribution companies to verify age.
Human trafficking and pornography: not mentioned enough
An important issue the report raises
is the linkage between pornography and human trafficking. According to Anders Sunesson,
Swedish Ambassador at Large for Combating Trafficking in Persons: “The interconnection between pornography and human trafficking is
not mentioned enough.” Sexual exploitation is one of the most prominent
types of human trafficking, particularly in Europe. To prepare the report, rapporteur
Frank Heinrich attended a webinar on the subject with notable experts
(conclusions in the report are drawn from this webinar) in which he described the report as
“a timely cry for help on behave of victims of trafficking for the purpose of
sexual exploitation”.
Enhancement of Human Trafficking through Pornography
The report does not only acknowledge
there is a pornography-human traffic linkage, it also underlines that pornography
increases the demand for trafficking and it is used to groom victims and
normalize their abuse. Human traffickers produce pornographic material of their
victims to control and profit for them even if they are not under their
physical control. The emergence of the ‘dark web’, cryptocurrencies and
encrypted messaging platforms enables human trafficking for the sake of sexual
exploitation – including pornography – making it more profitable, widespread
and less prone to being detected. User generated websites and ‘camsex’ make it easier
to make money from the domestic sexual violence attributed to victims of human
trafficking. Kyle Hyland (Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action
against Trafficking of Human Beings) and Congressman Chris Smith (Special
Representative on Human Trafficking Issues of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
OSCE) emphasized the need for adequate funding for the sufficient
implementation of national and international law regulations to counter human
trafficking. At the moment, it is insufficiently and ill-funded.
Although the report contains a firm
and well described section on the relation between pornography and human
trafficking, the adopted resolution is rather tame by only calling unto its
members and associates to investigate the ‘possible’ link of pornography and
human trafficking.
Some Critique & Concerns about the Council of Europe report
The report discussed in this article
is a good report drawing firms conclusion on the negative effects of
pornography and its implications on human rights, however, there is also reason
for some criticism.
The Hollow Words of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)
The first concerning point pertains to the ‘comprehensive sexuality
education’ (CSE). As mentioned above, both the resolution and the report call
for CSE in school curricula as a counter measure to pornography as educational
tool on sex and sexuality. This means introducing CSE to all school curricula,
age-appropriate, scientific accurate and evidence-based and cover issues like
gender equality, prevention and protection form sexual violence and more. The
resolution highlights that CSE “should be the main source of information for
young people, which would prevent the spread of unreliable and potentially
harmful information by other sources”. CSE does seem appealing at first sight,
it might not be entirely. Firstly, CSE lacks a standard and therefore is just
as good as the one who teaches on the matter. It also provides an opportunity
to people with radical agendas to sexualize children. Where it is based on an
appropriate and proper standard, the concern could possibly be diminished. But
without any standard, ‘comprehensive sexuality education’ remains hollow words, only an appealing but empty term. Secondly, the resolution demands the CSE to
be mandatory for all pupils and students without any right to refusal. This clashes
with the freedom of conscience. Therefore, the resolution is too rigid and
should be challenged.
Controversial ‘Ethical Pornography’
Secondly, the report mentions ‘ethical pornography’ and portrays it more
or less as a “good version” of pornography. Ethical pornography is defined as
pornography made in a legal manner, respecting the rights of the performers,
providing good working conditions, showing both fantasy and real sex and
celebrating sexual diversity. However, the term ‘ethical pornography’ is controversial and should be challenged. As mentioned earlier in the report,
“pornography is made for mere profit” and it is made for the purpose of the
consumer’s pleasure. Ethical pornography still offers sex as a product
separated from mutuality of pleasure, responsibility, affection, and love.
Therefore, the outcome stays the same, whether it is ‘ethically’ produced or
not. Moreover, pornography users tend to turn to more extreme material over
time resulting in ethical pornography being a doorway to such content. The
report fails to address these points on ‘ethical pornography’ and this section
should have been more balanced.
What about Marriage and Family Life?
Another remark on the report is that there is no consideration on the
effects of pornography on marriage and family life. As marriage and family are
important institutions to our societies, it is appropriate to address the issue
shortly. The report does mention briefly that men who are porn consumers may
speak less affective of their wives, are less committed to their wives and
show infidelity more often. Other studies have shown that pornography use is negatively
related to marital quality. Couples who use pornography report lower satisfaction with their
sex-life and decision-making as a couple. Moreover, dissatisfaction in marriage
is associated with porn consumption. Divorce probabilities double for men
and women who start watching pornography. Conversely, women who stop using pornography are less likely to get
divorced. In sum, multiple studies indicate the negative effects of pornography
for married couples and consequently this can have a serious impact on families
in our society. It is disappointing that the report does not address this issue.
Conclusion
Overall, the PACE resolution and report
are beneficial. They draw a clear-cut but unpopular picture of pornography –
which is not communicated by media or among the general public. It
is however, well known by experts and scholars: pornography and its industry are
harmful to women, men, and particularly young people. Pornography fosters the
sexualization of (very young) women, degrading them to mere objects; fosters
and justifies violence against women; is connected with human trafficking; and
causes problems which negatively affect individuals’ romantic and sexual life
(such as erectile dysfunction, dissatisfaction with own and partner’s
appearance and sexual performance). The fact that young people often use
pornography as source of education on sex and sexuality does not only harm
themselves and their personal development but also endangers society as a whole
as new generations are affected by the false truths pornography depicts. It is
clear that pornography does harm human rights, particularly of those most
vulnerable such as women and children in difficult situations.
This does not mean the resolution
and report are perfect, as there is still criticism and concern regarding the
above mentioned ‘comprehensive sexual education’, which remain hollow words
without a proper standard and there are also potentially opportunities for individuals to
sexualize young children; ‘ethical pornography’, which is just regular
pornography wrapped in nice paper; and the lack of describing the effects on
marriage and family life pornography has.
Though it is not flawless, the resolution
and report can be regarded as a boost to put pornography on the agenda and
foster the debate on its effects on individuals and society. The presented facts
deserve the attention of our politicians and policymakers. It is an invitation
to reconsider the current narratives on the matter and engage in an in-depth
discussion.
Read the adopted PACE Report on ‘Gender aspects and human rights
implications of pornography’ by clicking on this link.
Read the adopted PACE Resolutions on ‘Gender aspects and human rights
implications of pornography’ by clicking on this link.
Want to know more on the effects of pornography? Click here.
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