20 August 2008

Pornography And Sexual Violence Demonstration

Auckland Women’s Centre and Stop Demand Foundation will today be raising awareness on the links between pornography and sexual violence against women and children.

Both organisations have been granted a joint Council permit to do so.

Stop Demand founder Denise Ritchie says that both groups will direct their message to the thousands of porn users that will be downtown and to the wider public – that pornography fuels sexual violence against women and children.

Recent case: Two months ago a 60 year old Wanganui man was convicted for performing sexual acts on his severely handicapped wife after watching a pornographic video with two other men, one of whom he invited to “join in”.

In one recent fiscal year sexual violence was estimated to cost the New Zealand economy a staggering $1.2 billion, $827 million being the loss of quality of life for victims, across an estimated 16,500 sex offences (2006, Treasury Working Paper, Estimating the costs of crime in New Zealand in 2003/2004).

Spokesperson for both groups today Denise Ritchie says that “our Chief Censor, our pornography investigators and global research are unanimous in reporting that hard core pornography, which makes up the bulk of Steve Crow’s commercial interests and profits, is increasingly cruel, misogynistic and degrading of women.” Female porn stars are paid big money to simulate scenes of rape, sexual violation and degradation for the purposes of male sexual arousal and gratification.

The groups’ main message is that sexual violence does not take place in a vacuum. It is underpinned by attitudes and messages, many of which are fuelled and normalised by the hard core porn industry. In New Zealand, that fueller is self-proclaimed porn king Steve Crow.

The Pornography and Sexual Violence demonstration will march a short way ahead of Mr Crow’s parade. Police will be in attendance. Women and men who wish to join us and support our message are welcome.

ENDS

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