Pornography Is Not a Victimless Crime (16 April 2002)

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Dear Editor

It is a sad day in South Africa's history when TV stations such as e-tv take an irresponsible stance on promoting pornography, ignore public complaints against their porn channel and discriminate against Christians by treating them like second class citizens.

South Africa has the highest rape rate in the world, the sexual abuse of children is so bad that we have to hold government conferences on the sexual abuse of children. Yet, TV stations like e-tv continue to fuel sex crimes by pedaling their porn. According to the South African Police Services Child Protection Unit, "In 1996 the Films and Publication Act was passed, legalising pornography for the first time in the history of the country. This made it possible for child abusers, rapists and paedophiles to obtain all the material they needed. Statistics tell the story as South African Police Services records show that child rape increased… over 400%"! The police report further noted that: "Research with child sexual offenders reveals that ALL have used child pornography."

In very few other countries are the laws so lax around pornography as they are in South Africa. In the USA, pornography is NOT protected as freedom of speech because it is defined as OBSCENITY! Since when has pornographic, crude and distasteful depictions of women defined as sex objects ever been "freedom of speech" - such views smack of patriarchal bigotry. The fact that pornography fuels sex crimes has been verified in study after study! No civilization ever became great having liberal values around sexuality (see Unwin, 1935). If South Africa hopes to have "moral regeneration", it certainly isn't going to happen by promoting sex crimes through pornography, exploiting women and treating Christians as second class citizens. Come on e-tv, why don't you do South Africa proud and raise a moral standard! Start by scrapping the porn channel.

Rob Mc Cafferty
Africa Christian Action

Christian Action P.O.Box 23632 Claremont 7735 Cape Town South Africa [email protected] - 021-689-4481 - www.christianaction.org.za
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