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What Are Your Views
on
Violent Porn Ban?
The Scottish
Executive seeks
views on violent porn ban
The Scottish Executive has launched a consultation in conjunction with the
Home Office to find out if the public agrees that there should be laws
banning the downloading of violent pornography from the Net.
Under the proposals, it would be an offence to be in possessions of images
depicting serious sexual violence.
The types of material that could be banned are already illegal to publish in
the UK under the Obscene Publications Act, but these laws have not yet been
extended to cover material published electronically in
the UK from abroad.
The Executive is looking for people’s views on how the current law could be
changed to include Internet material, exactly what kind of pornography
should be included in a ban, and what the penalties for possession of such
images should be.
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson commented: "Violent pornography is
abhorrent. As we have always made clear, the Scottish Executive is committed
to tackling abuse and discrimination wherever it appears in our society. We
have already increased the penalties for possession and distribution of
child pornography.”
“If it is found that the law can be strengthened to cut violent pornography
from our society, then we will take action."
The consultation is being carried out jointly as Internet publication is not
limited by geographical borders, but if there is a need to legislate, the
Executive will do so separately in Scotland.
Home Office Minister Paul Goggins said that the material that would be
affected by the proposed ban was “extremely offensive to the vast majority
of people, and it should have no place in our society”.
“These forms of violent and abusive pornography go far beyond what we allow
to be shown in films or even sold in licensed sex shops in the UK, so they
should not be available online either,” he added.
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