On Sun, 4 Mar 2001 03:23:39 -0500 "Dana Shilling" dshilling@worldnet.att.net writes:
Ellynne G. said:
Regular consumers of porn show a marked tendency to be more
callous
towards women and to minimize rape as a criminal offense.
Is this cause or effect--i.e., haven't these attitudes been formed before the individual becomes a consumer of pornography?
OK, let's take the whole media thing from the top.
Studies keep showing the same thing - media both teaches and reinforces behavior. Studies of porn in particular show that it can be addictive with users finding they need more for stimulus.
It has been shown frequently to have a key role in the break down
of
inhibitions and restraint in the sexual abuse of juveniles.
Or to substitute for contact with actual juveniles, in which case relating to a pornographic image is clearly better than harming a real child (although children may have been abused to create the image)
See prior statement about _increasing need_. Since child porn is illegal, this is a harder area to study. However, I've read some accounts by one law enforcement official who, in a career of over twenty years, _never_ had a case of child sexual abuse where the perpetrator didn't also have child porn.
100% is a scary stat.
Look, let me cut to the chase here.
There are three things influencing my views on porn. First, my personal ethics which, while an area open for reasonable discussion, obviously have only a limited playing field in making demands in how others act (like not having people throw it in my face when I don't want to see it - in other words, a little common respect). Second, there are ranges of personal experience that are difficult to bring into any online discussion but that, nevertheless, have had a major impact in my attitudes (there are porn junkies in the neighborhood who will spend hours at the local library looking at the stuff on the internet, and a friend was threatened by one). Statistically and scientifically questionable, but personal experiences often are.
Third, however, is that I believe the studies that connect porn with various social problems. I live in the country that accounts for about 75% of the documented serial killers in the world, where stats on crimes against women have gone through the roof. Do you think I'm going to lightly dismiss studies about media's influence on this?
It negatively impacts marriage and family life. Consumers of porn
are
more likely to have distorted views of human sexuality and to view infidelity and multiple partners as acceptable.
What, exactly, is a distorted view of human sexuality?
In this context, we're talking about viewing people as objects. As one recent article on the subject said, those addicted to pornography see other people as nothing more than objects without feelings or emotions - and it is much easier to commit crimes against objects than people.
Twenty years ago, the acting out of certain sexual behaviors by preadolescents was unheard of in cases where the child had not
been
sexually abused. Now, it is proof of a television in the home.
Don't forget the role of increased reporting, which is not the same as an increase in the reported phenomenon.
Reread what I said. We're not talking about increased incidence. We're talking about changes in the environment in which it occurs. If anything, twenty years ago, child sexual abuse was still a taboo subject. Cases were routinely dismissed because children were considered unreliable witnesses (this changed radically and, yes, there was a spurt in false reports and accusations [doubly unfortunate because, besides attacking the innocent, it made it that much easier to dismiss real cases in the aftermath]. We're not talking about that period).
Look, my feelings on this matter are strong and not likely to change. I've stated my reasons, and they're not likely to change, either. I also don't consider myself the world's most persuasive arguer so I'm not expecting a major change in anyone else's opinions based on what I've said.
Besides, I can't think of a single Ob. B7 statement at this point.
Ellynne ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.