Scottish Sunday

Discover Your Perfect Stay

Scottish Sunday: International: International

'It’s like the State entering our bedrooms and minds'

The passing of a new law criminalising the possession of extreme pornography is about to take the ‘thought police’ out of the realm of fiction.

The new law criminalising the possession of extreme pornography is set to take effect soon, sparking a debate about the encroachment of the state into people's private lives. The law, part of the Criminal Justice and Immigration bill, will make it illegal to possess images that depict acts that could cause serious harm or threaten a person's life. However, critics argue that the law is unworkable, ineffective, and represents an infringement on personal liberty.

Unworkable Definition

The definition of "extreme pornography" in the legislation is subjective, with terms such as "explicit," "realistic," "threatening," and "serious" open to interpretation. This raises concerns about how the law will be enforced and whether it will be applied reasonably. There is also the risk of innocent individuals accidentally possessing such images, either through accidental downloads or spam emails.

Ineffectiveness in Addressing Sexual Violence

Opponents of the law argue that it will not effectively target the genuine problem of sexual violence in society. Research has indicated that there is no direct causal link between viewing violent images and committing violent acts. Instead, this law criminalizes consensual adult behavior, while the real perpetrators of sexual violence often go unnoticed and unpunished.

An Undesirable Reversal

The law is also seen as undesirable because it reverses the trend of acknowledging the rights of consenting adults to indulge their private desires and fantasies without state interference, as long as no harm is caused to others. Societies that have a more relaxed attitude towards pornography often have more advanced women's and LGBTQ+ rights, while those that heavily censor porn tend to have regressive attitudes towards gender and sexual minorities.

The passing of this law raises concerns about the erosion of personal freedoms and the potential for misuse by authorities. It is important to strike a balance between protecting individuals from harm and preserving individual autonomy and freedom of expression.

Sources:

  1. Im no really here, CJ, Scotland, dellio, Scunnert, Guga, Megz, and Politically-incorrect Man, "It's like the State entering our bedrooms and minds," Scottish Sunday, 4 May 2008.
  2. Brian McNair, "It's like the State entering our bedrooms and minds," Scottish Sunday, 4 May 2008.
  3. Lorna, Scotland, "It's like the State entering our bedrooms and minds," Scottish Sunday, 4 May 2008.
  4. CJ & Guga, "It's like the State entering our bedrooms and minds," Scottish Sunday, 4 May 2008.
  5. Edward Smith, UK, "It's like the State entering our bedrooms and minds," Scottish Sunday, 4 May 2008.
  6. Mark, London, "It's like the State entering our bedrooms and minds," Scottish Sunday, 4 May 2008.

Manchester

Edinburgh

London