Part 2 Pornography and Sex Trafficking: the lie of the disconnect
In the last blog post, we talked about some of the findings from the inquiry into pornography as well as some of the findings from Encompass’s research into the impacts of pornography on survivors of sex trafficking:
Violence against women is prolific in mainstream pornography
Illegal content is freely accessibly on mainstream pornography websites
Pornography fuels sexual violence
Pornography fuels social and political harms against women and girls
Allowing or enabling children’s access to online pornography is an egregious violation of child safeguarding
Sexual coercion is inherent to the commercial production of pornography
People surviving sex trafficking are being filmed without consent
People surviving sex trafficking have found that men purchasing sex recreate sexual violence that they see in pornography
People surviving sex trafficking worry that men who watch pornography will watch child pornography
So clearly pornography is harmful. And to make matters worse, the online pornography trade goes largely unregulated. It has been confirmed that some of the largest and most frequently visited pornography sites in the world host pornographic material that violates current UK laws, including laws against child sexual exploitation, with impunity. Such sites have also freely hosted pornographic material without first verifying that everyone featured in the material is an adult, that they consented to it being filmed, and that they consented to it being uploaded to the pornography website. This has resulted in pornography websites profiting from, and users viewing, filmed footage of rape, trafficking victims, image-based sexual abuse and child sexual abuse.
WHAT CAN BE DONE TO REDUCE THE HARMS OF PORNOGRAPHY?
The inquiry outlines a number of recommendations for legal reforms necessary to prevent some of the most egregious abuses and harms perpetrated in the pornography trade. In this post, let’s talk about 3 of the recommendations that have been made:
Make the regulation of pornography consistent across different online platforms, and between the online and offline spheres
When you go to the cinema, every film is classified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC). All classification decisions are based on the BBFC’s published and regularly updated guidelines. The guidelines are the product of extensive public consultation, research and the accumulated experience of the BBFC over many years. They reflect current views on film, DVD and video game regulation. Classification is the process of giving age ratings and content advice to films and other audiovisual content to help children and families choose what’s right for them and avoid what’s not.
Why is what is posted on the internet not subject to this vetting and classification process?
The BBFC told the inquiry that in relation to pornography distributed offline, “there are certain types of pornographic content that the BBFC will refuse to classify on the basis of harm. Content of this nature is currently freely accessible online, in abundance, to children and adults alike” (page 37).
This needs to change. It is critical that reforms are introduced ensuring that pornography is regulated consistently across all online platforms, and across the online and offline spheres.
Criminalise the supply of pornography online to children, and legally require age verification for accessing pornography online
We have talked in a previous blog about the fundamental damage caused by children being exposed to sexual harm and violence being a learned behaviour. Through the internet and social media, young children are being exposed to sexual violence which is being glamourised and normalised. The goal of the pornography industry is to maximise on profits. They do not seem to care what age a person is who is viewing the content on their sites. They are making it easy for underage people to do so. In their formative years, pornography is shaping children’s understanding of how to behave during sex, what is expected. Pornography is teaching children that sex is violent.
Online platforms that host pornography must be legally required to verify that every individual who accesses this content is 18 years old or above. Failure to comply with this should be an offence, with individuals held criminally liable. This would bring the online sphere in line with the offline sphere, where it is illegal to supply pornographic videos, DVDs and cinema screenings to anyone under the age of 18.
Address pornography as commercial sexual exploitation, and a form of violence against women, in legislation and policy
Pornography shows women to be a commodity, something to be consumed. Pornography shows women enjoying and welcoming violence. Pornography includes footage of women who have been trafficked being sexually abused. Pornography includes footage of children being raped. Pornography includes footage of women being coerced into sexual activity and subject to sexual violence. Pornography includes content filmed of women who do not give consent to be filmed. Pornography is being watched across the globe, by people of all ages.
Some people are making money out of this, and it’s not the women and girls being abused and dehumanised in the videos being watched.
Pornography must be addressed in law and policy as commercial sexual exploitation and, thereby, a form of violence against women.
There are a number of other recommendations made in the inquiry. To read the report in full, follow this link: https://www.appg-cse.uk/inquiry/ and click ‘Download Report’