Porn viewing distressing in inquiry

Press, 27 January 1988, Page 40

Porn viewing distressing in inquiry

PA Auckland After a month of work on the committee of inquiry into pornography one of its members says she is “sick and tired of viewing” explicit material. The deputy director of the Mental Health Foundation, Dr Hilary Haines, one of three members commissioned by the Minister of Justice, Mr Palmer, and Minister of Women’s Affairs, Mrs Shields, has found some of the evidence distressing. She said the worst had been of children engaged in sexual acts and torture of women during sex. “I don’t want to see

much more. There is some pretty horrible stuff around. It’s hard to know what is acting or simulated. Some aren’t actors, they’re professional sex workers,” Dr Haines said. The group has until December 31 to report on the production and distribution of pornographic material and to make recommendations on. censorship. Dr Haines feels she has sampled enough material to gain an idea of what is available. The evidence, much of it from the black market, has been supplied by customs, police and other legal sources.

The committee, which includes a senior law lecturer, Ms Joanne Morris as the chairwoman, and a reader in Victoria University’s education department, Mr Jack Shallcrass, is also studying what is available on shop shelves. Public submissions are being called to establish New Zealand’s attitude to pornography and hearings will be held during the year. “Standards have certainly changed in the last five or ten years. What was regarded then as hard core is now soft porn," Dr Haines said.