Exposure to pornography may have harmful effects

By Autumn Brown

For the Daily

Although there have been attempts by the court system to censor pornographic material in the form of Internet sites and explicit magazines, many groups have continued to lobby for restrictions on pornography in all forms.

One University endorsed group in particular is especially vocal on the issue of pornography: SAPAC, Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center. SAPAC provides updated statistics on sexual assault and preventive measures women can take to decrease the risk of sexual assault.

Pornography is no longer abhorred solely by women but increasingly by men as well, says Philosophy, Women's Studies and Adjunct Law Prof. Elizabeth Anderson.

Two schools of thought have emerged that bash pornography for different reasons. On one side, feminists don't object to pornography's obscene nature or nudity but argue that its "representation of women as sexual objects is (offensive)," Anderson said. Feminists often are not offended by lesbian displays in pornography because they are not degrading to women.

Others object to pornography for religious reasons and see pornography as a moral issue.

In addition, studies have suggested that pornography is linked to instances of domestic violence. Alicia Rinaldi, SAPAC Training and Education Coordinator, said she believes that the relationship between domestic violence and pornography should not be overlooked.

Domestic violence "can always be connected with the view that women are sexual objects," Rinaldi said. This type of objectification of women is what is most fearful. If this message put forward in porn exists in society, it can have devastating effects on increasing the role of women in society.

Women Studies GSI Lara Zador, formerly a participant in the Undergraduate Women's Studies Association, agreed that domestic violence is connected to the objectification of women found in pornography. Pornography "does not cause violence, (but) it certainly helps by perpetrating images of women as fragmented objects instead of fully subjective complete human beings," she said.

"As (people) keep seeing porn as a reflection of human sexuality, (they often see it) as a dream world, as a fantasy," she added.

Zador said that there is a solution. "It is not based entirely on censorship, but based on increased representations of many different kinds of women with not just sexual, but also with full intellectual and emotional capacities," she said.

Rinaldi believes that "raising awareness (of) how it contributes to (the) larger problem of violence," is the key to solving the problems presented by pornography.

Rinaldi, however, alludes to other potential contributors to the ultimate degradation of women. "The language that we use does not contribute (to the uplifting) of women," she said.

In addition, "some say that advertising is a small contributor," Rinaldi said. This would include television commercials.

Regardless, Rinaldi remains convinced that pornography and the people who make money on pornography are the problem at hand. These are the individuals who say that pornography has absolutely nothing to do with domestic violence and "it's just the crazy people who assault women," she said.

America's adult entertainment industry is large enough to possibly have an effect on domestic violence. The ideas and images put forth by pornography place female sexuality and respect for the female body at risk. That could give men the motive and reassurance that justifies the abuse of women.

Rinaldi acknowledges that common sense would explain that those in the pornography business "would validate how they see (pornography) and continue (the) right to definitely perpetrate it."

The problem for the legal system is how to interpret the First Amendment in relation to pornography, Anderson said.

"The biggest hurdle is the issue with censorship," Rinaldi said. She believes that people would not advocate censorship of pornography because that would mean going against the first amendment. In order to prove that pornography is not protected under the first amendment would be a massive undertaking.

"People refuse to ask such questions as 'How should I challenge it?'" Rinaldi said. To ignore the focus of blame, which in this case happens to be pornography, would be "a simple way out," she said.