Page 2952 - 1970S

been showing a decline aU through
the sixties. Secondly, the biggest
single drop was before the new laws
carne into force. Thirdly, at the
same time the pornography law was
changed a number of offense cate–
gories were abolisbed, resulting in
fewer total crimes. Fourthly, as a
result of changing public attitudes,
it appears that there has been a de–
crease in reporting minor sex crimes
wbich, of course, also affects the
overall figure.
Certainly, if we look at the Dan–
ish statistics on convictions for rape
and similar violations, we find a sig–
nificant increase from 1967 to 1973
(the latest available figure). The
1973 figure is more than twice tha t
of any year in the late sixties. The
pornography lobby is very quiet
about this.
Rape statistics from England and
Wales tell the same story. According
to Home Office figures, total con–
victions have increased almost lOO%
in the period 1965 to 1974. The ex–
amples of England and Denmark
confirm a trend noted by psy–
chologist J. H. Court of Flinders
University, South Australia, that in
those countries in which major Legal
barriers aga inst pornography have
been removed, there has been an
increase in th e incidence of rape.
This is all the more significant be–
cause of tbe con trast with countries
where pornography is not freely cir–
culated. While Australia, New Zea–
land and the United States have all
experienced a dramati.c rise in rape
at the same time that lega l barriers
to pornography were coming down,
Singapore, where the barriers are
still in force, has managed to keep
the incidence of rape at the same
low leve!. And as the chain reacti.on
proceeds, pornography is increasing
progressively into sad ism, brutality
and new depths of filth. ln Denmark
recently, the Society for Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals even had to
petition th.e courts to prohibit the
use of four-footed animals in live
sex shows. To remain "competitive,"
pornographers have to be progres–
sively degenerative. In sorne films
today , such as Clockwork Orange
and Straw Dogs, rape has become a
theme of entertainment. The actual
effect of the film Clockwork Orange
on sorne immature minds is docu-
The PLAIN TRUTH Aprii-May 1976
mented in rape-case records in sev–
era! countries. Of this fi lm and its
contemporary, Straw Dogs, an
American reviewer wrote that rape
was pictured in the context that "a
man could only prove himself a
man when he had won his combat
badges in rape and morder."
Case after case can reveal the ef–
fect of today's pornography on the
minds of at least a segment of so–
ciety. At a tria! in England of a
young man who raped two four–
teen-year-old girls, the defending
Q.C. stressed that the accused had
had "his youthful sexuality turned
into a very powerful driving force
tbrough the etfect of pornograpby."
Evidence like tbis , however, is
counted for notbing beside the test–
tube theories of the avant-garde.
Poroography and the Mind
That pornography can be a dan–
gerous inftuence on large numbers
of psychosexually disturbed adults
and teen-agers is clear. [t has the
etfect of so arousing a volatile sex–
ual appetite that social and moral
restrain ts are totally ignored in the
search for sensual sa tisfaction.
But more balanced individuals
can equally be hooked by this psy–
chological drug. The route from the
normal to the perverse is progres–
sive. And the etfects that pornogra–
phy can have on normal married
life and normal sexua l relations
have been largely overlooked.
Pornography totally depersona–
lizes sex and detacbes copulation
from its necessary environment of
love and a natural experience. Now
a ruan can drool over one glossy
picture of erotic seductivity after an–
o ther. And pornography is no
longer just a man 's world. If the
woman wants it, she can have at it
too. Curiosity in pornography can
turn into indulgence, and in time,
indulgence gives way to obsession.
The female and maJe torsos pic–
tured througbout the pages of sex
magazines become no more lhan
objects of lust, and the porno-addict
is able to indulge in multiple mind–
damaging acts ofvicarious adultery.
The result? Boredom with the real
thing - sexual boredom between
husband and wife who no longer
find pleasure in a normal healthy
sexual relationship. Sensual images
begin to take the place of the wife -
or husband.
A situation involving a police of–
ficer can be cited as an example of
this reaction to pornography. The
man was not dabbling in pornogra–
phy for his own pleasure. He had
been assigned to a pornography in–
vestigation case, but after a while he
had to ask to be taken off the case.
He claimed that the exposure to a
constant stream of pornography was
kiUing bis interest in normal sexual
relations with bis wife.
It is difficult to believe that you
can "wallow in filth and not get
dirty ." As Solomon said, "Can a
man take tire in his bosom, and his
clothes not be burned?"
Pornography belongs to the world
of fantasy. It is designed to appeal
to those who prefer to seek their
gratification througb deviate sexual
diversions and to trap the "un–
initiated" into a fascination with
perversity. It is an education in self–
gra tification, denying all care and
concern for others. Professor Robert
Stoller in the symposium "The Case
Against Pornography" described it
as "a kind of visua l rape - a taking
from others of what they wou ld not
give vo lun tarily." And yet, in tbe
final ana lysis the pornography ad–
dict is left empty and miserable, de–
void of the happiness whi ch a
natural, healthy sexua l relationsbip
could bring, desiring fulfi llment of
bis perverse mental machinations.
In etfect, pornography is anti-sex.
Those who oppose pornography are
sometimes accused of being anti–
sex, but they a r e really anti
"coun terfeit" sex. If someone is ant i
counterfeit bank notes, is he accused
of being anti money? No, he very
much wants to preserve tbe real
th ing.
The Right to Choose
But if pornography is not freely
available, this is said to be an inter–
ference with the individual's right to
choose what he wants to see o r read.
At least so goes the "freedom" argu–
ment of the liberationists. But what
about the rights of society as a
whole? Should the vociferous mi–
nority of so-called intellectuals cal!
tbe tune by placing their own inter–
pretation on tbe word " freedom"?
The ftood of pornography has
17