Facing Reality

Research on the Harm of Pornography

 

Remarks by Denise Charlton, Chief Executive, Community Foundation Ireland

A strategic intervention into the debate on the harm of pornography, the ‘Facing Reality Report’ must inform future policy decisions if we are to become a society free from sexual violence.

Disturbing, uncomfortable and stark Facing Reality is not an easy read, but it is an essential one.

Women’s Aid and the experts at the Sexual Exploitation Research and Policy Institute have put the reality of the pain, harm and violence behind pornography into the spotlight.

They are prompting a conversation which many would prefer to ignore. Yet it is one where all of us have a responsibility to contribute. All voices must be heard whether parents, teachers, advocates or policymakers if we are to end the dehumanising reality

The Research

The multi-billion euro porn trade follows the model of those who seek to turn our children and young people into drug addicts.

Young lives are seen as fodder to fuel crime driven enterprises.

Children, teenagers and young people, in particular boys and young men are exposed to extreme and often violent sex.

Sex crimes are normalised with viewers themselves put in danger of repeating in the real-world the abuses they have seen on screen. By doing so they themselves are placed in legal jeopardy while their victims become part of an ever-ending cycle of extreme abuse.

The sole purpose is to line the pockets of pimps, traffickers and thugs with no care for the lives ruined both on and off screen.

Next Steps

The temptation is to move in and crush the trade. The so called ‘bust’ approach.

The damage done, the lives harmed and the extent of the crimes however show that this a complex issue requiring a more sophisticated approach.

Facing Reality highlights the need for a cross-agency and cross-Government effort which will see the law, technology as well as education and awareness all acting together.

Educators, medical professionals, Gardaí and legal practitioners, regulators as well as the tech sector all have significant contributions to make.

The tech sector and those who regulate it must face up to their responsibilities.

Men who can be role models need to be encouraged to speak up to increase awareness amongst impressionable boys. They are a much needed counter-balance to well-known online misogynists using platforms to spread their poison to millions of young people.

Our laws too must be updated.

Community Foundation Ireland works with the top advocates and frontline services combatting sexual and gender-based violence.

Drawing on their knowledge and expertise it is clear our current weak laws are not being enforced in terms of online porn.

Threats, assault and rape are all crimes and having a camera in the room significantly heightens and increases the hurt, humiliation and trauma – it certainly does not reduce it.

Every-time those acts are streamed that hurt, the pain and the crimes are repeated over and over again. This is re-victimisation on a scale which up until recent years would have been unimaginable.

The voices of survivors will be key in informing policy and waking up wider society to the scale of the crimes as well as the links with human trafficking and prostitution.

Need for Action

 This report sets out a rationale for a ‘Discuss-Educate-Bust’ approach. As mentioned, porn cannot be shot-down with the flick of a switch.

The industry is sophisticated and multi-faceted and so must we.

The difficult discussion is now underway – for many it has started here today.

Now we must move to educate not just the viewers but all who have a role in combatting this dangerous modern scourge.

Then together we move to bust and shut down these abuses for good.

On behalf of Community Foundation Ireland and our philanthropists who made this pioneering research possible I endorse the findings.

Thank you.

Access the Report