Does Porn Lead to Rape?

[natasha levchenko]

How does pornography affect individuals?
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: Pornography is highly addictive, with some researchers and therapists even likening it to crack cocaine.People who indulge in pornography often cover up their habit. They are secretive and deceitful. Not surprisingly, many suffer from feelings of isolation, shame, anxiety, depression, and anger. In some cases, they even develop suicidal tendencies. Testifying before a U.S. Senate committee, Dr. Judith Reisman, a leading researcher on pornography, said: “Pornographic visual images imprint and alter the brain, triggering an instant, involuntary, but lasting, biochemical memory trail [that is] difficult or impossible to delete.” a person is addicted and pornography is like a sweet candy for a for a person who has got a sweet tooth. have you ever tried to take a sweet thing against child's will? the result is unpredictable. the same thing is with pornography.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

There may be a difference between violent video games and pornography when one involves an orgasm and the other doesn't, and one it focused on women and the other isn't. There was a native american girl who got ganged raped and her rapists referenced clusters revenge.There may be an issue with making violence against women funny and desirable, and that being easily accessible by non-adults. Pornography can be one factor or influence amongst several factors.

Rape is caused by a dehumanization of the victim. After sifting through studies on pornography and its effect on society, I am hesitant to agree that pornography itself leads people to dehumanize their rape victims, and therefore do not see a causal relationship. I think porn is an excuse used, whether by perpetrators or by anti-pornography demonstrators, to point the finger at another source of what leads people to rape. In the end, I see pornography as a depiction overall of how we as a people view sex, what sex looks like to us, and the majority of it (though it's changing) is voyeuristic phallocentrism with an ejaculatory bias.

Pornography has a very very very long history across cultures and has seen a very broad range of perceptions from outright demonization and taboo to fully integrating it as an important and vital part of the arts and culture. Years ago, I began embarking on my own study of the history, business, industrial significance in a nation's economy, and artistic variances across cultures around the world and through recorded histories. There's far more to pornography and its relationship with culture (and rape culture), than what people might think. I think it's erroneous to brush pornography with a broad brush, as well as to demonize it and to see it as a cause for rape and rape culture. Whether one cherry picks violent porn, or takes the occasional perpetrators sayings as hard evidence of how porn leads to them raping.

I don't see a lot of people asking if Hollywood leads to rape. But we see a lot of the same caricatures, cash flow, and tropes that some people might point to and suggest that these mindsets and behaviors dehumanize women and cause rapists to rape. Again, I say that correlation =/= causation.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

Rape is caused by a dehumanization of the victim. After sifting through studies on pornography and its effect on society, I am hesitant to agree that pornography itself leads people to dehumanize their rape victims, and therefore do not see a causal relationship. I think porn is an excuse used, whether by perpetrators or by anti-pornography demonstrators, to point the finger at another source of what leads people to rape. In the end, I see pornography as a depiction overall of how we as a people view sex, what sex looks like to us, and the majority of it (though it's changing) is voyeuristic phallocentrism with an ejaculatory bias.

Pornography has a very very very long history across cultures and has seen a very broad range of perceptions from outright demonization and taboo to fully integrating it as an important and vital part of the arts and culture. Years ago, I began embarking on my own study of the history, business, industrial significance in a nation's economy, and artistic variances across cultures around the world and through recorded histories. There's far more to pornography and its relationship with culture (and rape culture), than what people might think. I think it's erroneous to brush pornography with a broad brush, as well as to demonize it and to see it as a cause for rape and rape culture. Whether one cherry picks violent porn, or takes the occasional perpetrators sayings as hard evidence of how porn leads to them raping.

I don't see a lot of people asking if Hollywood leads to rape. But we see a lot of the same caricatures, cash flow, and tropes that some people might point to and suggest that these mindsets and behaviors dehumanize women and cause rapists to rape. Again, I say that correlation =/= causation.

I would say it is a range of factors that can influence someone to dehumanise a woman, from religion to pornography to even hollywood to mob mentalities (as in a group of guys get together and have what you call "locker room talk") to the relationship between mum and dad.
And this dehumanisation can occur in different degrees from verbal harassment, physical harassment (e.g bum slapping) to rape. And even rape can happen in different ways from emotional blackmail (if you don't do this you don't love me, if you don't do this you are frigid, but look right here at this picture they do it in pornography why can't we do it?) to straight up holding a woman down and raping her. I think the emotional blackmail one is probably the most common form of rape, because it makes the victim unsure whether or not they were raped, the perp doesn't view themselves as a rapist because, hey she consented in the end right? and is even less likely to be reported and extremely difficult to prove.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

I would say it is a range of factors that can influence someone to dehumanise a woman, from religion to pornography to even hollywood to mob mentalities (as in a group of guys get together and have what you call "locker room talk") to the relationship between mum and dad.
And this dehumanisation can occur in different degrees from verbal harassment, physical harassment (e.g bum slapping) to rape. And even rape can happen in different ways from emotional blackmail (if you don't do this you don't love me, if you don't do this you are frigid, but look right here at this picture they do it in pornography why can't we do it?) to straight up holding a woman down and raping her. I think the emotional blackmail one is probably the most common form of rape, because it makes the victim unsure whether or not they were raped, the perp doesn't view themselves as a rapist because, hey she consented in the end right? and is even less likely to be reported and extremely difficult to prove.

What you have described is rape culture, which I don't disagree with.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

What you have described is rape culture, which I don't disagree with.

So pornography plays it's part in rape culture?

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

Just for the record though I do believe Ted Bundy is full of *****

 

[MysticSang'ha]

So pornography plays it's part in rape culture?

No. It has no causal relationship. I find it to be correlative. I see no need to single it out.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

No. It has no causal relationship. I find it to be correlative. I see no need to single it out.

I see it as correlative as well, but I see anything that dehumanises a woman especially in a sexual way, when we suffer from sexual harassment to be singled out.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

I see it as correlative as well, but I see anything that dehumanises a woman especially in a sexual way, when we suffer from sexual harassment to be singled out.

I understand that you do, yes. I have no argument against that.

 

[ryobi]

Nothing then I guess.

Guess so

 

[ryobi]

I assume your reasoning might be that: if he Vikings were so bad, and they didn't have porn, then porn is unnecessary be as bad as the Vikings? Would that summarize it?

By the way, if one wanted had to use Vikings to figure things out, then the way to do it would be to go back in time, divide the Vikings into two groups, one group to view porn, the other not to view porn. Then watch which group, if either, does the most killing and raping.

I think one point one might come to if they answered those questions might be: like ted bundy many vikings also raped and murdered even though most of the vikings did not have the internet, or a dvd/vcr and therefore they did not watch porn like ted bundy nonetheless they still raped and murdered.

 

[Skwim]

How does pornography affect individuals?
WHAT EXPERTS SAY: Pornography is highly addictive, with some researchers and therapists even likening it to crack cocaine.People who indulge in pornography often cover up their habit. They are secretive and deceitful. Not surprisingly, many suffer from feelings of isolation, shame, anxiety, depression, and anger. In some cases, they even develop suicidal tendencies. Testifying before a U.S. Senate committee, Dr. Judith Reisman, a leading researcher on pornography, said: “Pornographic visual images imprint and alter the brain, triggering an instant, involuntary, but lasting, biochemical memory trail [that is] difficult or impossible to delete.” a person is addicted and pornography is like a sweet candy for a for a person who has got a sweet tooth. have you ever tried to take a sweet thing against child's will? the result is unpredictable. the same thing is with pornography.

if you're going argue using evidence like "experts say" or "It has been found," then you're going to have to supply this evidence, such as a valid link or print source (publication name, date, author, etc.) If not, no one is going to care what you claim. Just a FYI.

And just an update on congressional testimony and pornography.

During L. B. Johnson's' term a scientific investigation on pornography was established called The President's Commission on Obscenity and Pornography. Among other things it found :

• That there was "no evidence to date that exposure to explicit sexual materials plays a significant role in the causation of delinquent or criminal behavior among youths or adults."
• That "a majority of American adults believe that adults should be allowed to read or see any sexual materials they wish."
• That "there is no reason to suppose that elimination of governmental prohibitions upon the sexual materials which may be made available to adults would adversely affect the availability to the public of other books, magazines, or films."
• That there was no "evidence that exposure to explicit sexual materials adversely affects character or moral attitudes regarding sex and sexual conduct."
• That "Federal, State, and Local legislation prohibiting the sale, exhibition, or distribution of sexual materials to consenting adults should be repealed."
• source: Wikipedia

Coming out during Nixon's administration in 1970, Nixon so abhorred its conclusions that he immediately dismissed it, with congress following suit.

Then, during Regan's administration the Meese commission was established to once again look into pornography (Deep Throat was causing all kinds of ruckus). Not a scientific study at all, it gathered anecdotal testimony, both first and second hand, all of which was roundly criticized for its bias and lack of credibility.



As for your Dr. Judith Reisman, an arch conservative wing-nut and your "leading researcher on pornography"---she is no such thing---was the founder of the modern anti-Kinsey movement; calling Kinsey a fraud. "Prior to the release of the 2004 film Kinsey, Reisman and Laura Schlessinger attempted to place an advertisement "alleging Kinsey was a pervert and a pedophile"
source

Tell you anything? It should.

More icing on the cake. Reisman also believes homosexuality was the cause for the rise of Nazism.
Source:ibid.

Not a lawyer. Not medical doctor. Not a psychologist. Not a sociologist, or any other kind of -ologist dealing in human behavior, Reisman's PhD is in communications. Shes a right-wing wacko who doesn't deserve anyone's time. I suggest you find a better source, which shouldn't be hard at all.

 

[Aquitaine]

I think we're talking past each other, unfortunately. I understand there are people who see porn as violence and not sex, but I don't get where simply redefining porn helps to show how watching violence leads to rape. I thought other arguments had been made to show how playing violent video games doesn't show a causal relationship to rates of violence in a society, and so therefore I'm still in the mindset of "correlation =/= causation", whether porn is seen as violence or seen as sex.

Some people see porn as art (I'm one). And redefining it still doesn't make a better argument, IMO.

Aye, I too share that opinion with both violent video games and porn. I was just throwing that idea out there.

 

[ryobi]

Isn't porn banned in Muslim theocracies-muslim theocracies that also tolerate rape or at least blame women for getting raped?

 

[ryobi]

What you have described is rape culture, which I don't disagree with.

What is rape culture? Is it like going to an opera with rape?

 

[dgirl1986]

Yes. Also, watching baseball leads to smashing mailboxes with a bat.

This.

 

[Titanic]

Mystic, Why did you not reply to my posts?

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

Isn't porn banned in Muslim theocracies-muslim theocracies that also tolerate rape or at least blame women for getting raped?

If there is woman hating (whatever form it takes) women will still get raped. My guess is that if they have a internet connection they could still get access to pornography just like you can still get access to child pornography and beastiality.

 

[dgirl1986]

The porn leading to rape arguement in ridiculous. If you were to look at the percentage of people who watch porn to the percentage that has raped that watched porn...it wouldnt match up.

 

[Wherenextcolumbus]

The porn leading to rape arguement in ridiculous. If you were to look at the percentage of people who watch porn to the percentage that has raped that watched porn...it wouldnt match up.

How would we know the percentage that has raped?