Pornography isn’t a novelty; however, its accessibility has skyrocketed due to the ever-present nature of the internet. This has troubling implications for susceptible individuals, with online algorithms being capable of nudging them into harmful and potentially illicit content. There are serious consequences to this, with direct exposure to hardcore pornography being routinely mentioned in legal proceedings surrounding sexual violence.
New research released this week on sexual violence against women helps cement the link between these rising crime rates and the consumption of graphic internet pornography. The study, funded by Women’s Aid, puts a spotlight on how the vast majority of readily available online pornography “represents sexual violence”. It theorises that this content is influencing both the attitudes and actions of its consumers.
The study further highlights the commonality of violent acts against women within mainstream pornography websites, such as strangulation, verbal humiliation and aggression. It also mentions the growing instances of incestuous content and the disturbing ease at which child abuse material is accessible. Reference is also made to availability of content that is recorded and shared without consent, like ‘upskirting’ and rape.
This issue blurs the clear-cut lines often attributed to cultural battles, whilst also raising complicated ethical and legal questions about what limits should be imposed on the distribution of such material and its consumption by both minors and adults.
One would reason that the disturbing types of pornography detailed in the report shouldn’t be available to children, and that the illegal distribution of such material should be subject to prosecution. Unfortunately, tangible steps towards these objectives have been slow-coming, as regulatory bodies grapple with the issue of regulating content that is freely accessible across international lines. As it stands, societal norms haven’t evolved to address the fact that many children have unrestricted internet access via their personal mobiles. Internationally, several initiatives have been proposed to tackle these problems. In this country, the newly formed Coimisiún na Meán has been tasked with finding solutions to them. Their effectiveness is still to be determined.
There’s a marked necessity for individual accountability, state-funded education, societal transformation, and more robust governance when it comes to tackling this problem. One thing is certain, the prevailing environment is inflicting severe damage, particularly for women.
Women’s Aid has proposed several remedies, one of which targets the business strategy of this extremely lucrative industry. After a 2020 inquiry by the New York Times into illegal content on the Pornhub site, Visa and Mastercard discontinued their payment services for the website. This exemplify is certainly worth a more detailed examination.