Definition of pornography adopted

Press, 2 September 1986, Page 2

Definition of pornography adopted

The issue of pornography proved an emotional one for many delegates at the conference and the Government has been directed to take much stronger measures against it. A definition of pornography was adopted overwhelmingly in spite of the reservations of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Tapsell, about being so rigid. This was that pornography be defined as: “Material which depicts women and children as sexual subordinates or mere objects for the sexual gratification of men in a manner which misrepresents the nature of sexuality in a context which endorses that depiction of degradation and hatred of women — whether for commercial gain or not.” Some very emotional pleas were heard from women delegates for the adoption of this resolution on the ground that whatever men might or might not get out of pornography, women and children were the victims of it All other remits on women’s affairs were dropped off the order

paper because the conference had run out of time in which to discuss them, but pornography was considered so important that the time of the conference was extended to consider it. The role of the Chief Censor also came in for a lot of criticism. Many delegates wanted only women censors because only women understood the consequences of pornography. Mr Tapsell defended the Chief Censor, saying the job of the office was to reflect standards rather than set them, and a recent poll had indicated that the public wanted less strict censorship rather than more. A detailed 15-part remit on pornography was adopted almost in its entirety. Most of its points will now hang on whether the Government agrees to set up a Royal Commission of Inquiry into pornography, as the conference wanted. The conference agreed that pornography was dangerous to the health, safety and welfare of women and children in the same way as material inciting racism is dangerous to the target race.”