Pornography is defined as the depiction of harlots or prostitutes in writing and shows dominance over others. It has been shown to increase aggression in men and negatively impact attitudes towards women. Prolonged exposure can desensitize viewers to violence, decrease respect for institutions like family, foster rape fantasies, and sexually condition dominance and submission. Critics argue it reinforces patriarchal oppression of women and the status quo. Supporters believe it can have a cathartic effect for potential sex offenders.

2. THE DANGER OF
PORNOGRAPHY

3. Comes from the Greek words
“porne”, which means a harlot,
prostitute or whore and
“graphos” means a writing or
depiction.

4. Defined by Mackinnon (1993) as
The very embodiment of dominance
which means that:
-is the celebration, the promotion, the
authorization and the legitimatization
of rape, harassment, battery and the
abuse of children, for the sexual
pleasure of men.

5. eroticizes dominance and
submission, of which rape, baterry,
sexual harassment and the sexual
and physical abuse of children. It
employs the enforcement of others’
powerlessness.

6. Defined by Russel (1993) as
“material that combines sex and/or
the exposure of genitals with abuse or
degradation in manner that appears
to endorse, condone, or encourage
such behavior.”

7. Steinem (1978) concludes that
pornography’s message is
“Violence, dominance, and conquest.
It is sex being used to reinforce some
inequality, or to create one, or to tell
us that pain and humiliation are
really the same as pleasure.”

8. 1. Sexual Arousal
brought by visual and literary
pornography.
This effect has been shown both
mentally and physically.
2. Aggression
 Exposure to pornography leads men
to greater level of aggression
towards women.

9. 3. Desensitization
Prolonged exposure to called
“ slasher film”
desensitized viewers to violence
against women.
4. Attitude toward women
Exposure to pornography leads to
antisocial attitudes about women.

10. 5. Decline in Family Values
Massively exposed to pornography
will become distrusting of their
partners in extended relationship
There is growing dissatisfaction with
sexual reality.
Exposure to porno “ fosters a lack of
respect for social institutions such as
the family and tradition sex roles for
women” – Linz and Malamuth (1993)

11. 6. Causal Model of Rape
Russel (1993) argues that pornography
predisposes some males to want to
rape women by:
1. Pairing sexually arousing stimuli with
rape
2. Increasing males self- generated rape
fantasies
3. Sexualizing dominance and submission
4. Creating an appetite for increasing
stronger material.

12. 7. Ideological Effects
This is view grows out of the
traditional feminist critique of
patriarchy which finds that the
oppression of women is an
institutionalized and socially
constructed tool which men use to
maintain the status-quo.

13. 8. Catharsis
The cathartic effect of pornography
is believed due to a substitution on
effect, by which potential sex
offenders receive sexual
gratification from pornography
content, rather that from criminals
acts against individuals.