So what is 'violent pornography'?

[denny]

This post is about the proposed new 'Violent Pornography Act' - it will affect movies and photos being published online and through traditional channels. It is not currently proposed for this legislation to affect text (e.g. stories) and drawings (e.g. cartoons).


Taken from http://www.inquisition21.com/article~view~117~page_num~10.html


And just in case you are wondering exactly what is going to be banned under this new legislation, I have the complete list here (in simplified format obtained under the Freedom of Information Act). Note this list is by no means comprehensive as the Home Office Legal Department are adding categories and clauses all the time but it gives you an idea of how wide ranging this is:

Asphyxia. Where the person is being choked in order to gain sexual pleasure.

Bestiality. Sexual acts between humans and animals.

Bondage. Tying a person in an unnatural position for sexual gratification where the participant is unable to withdraw their consent (for example they are gagged).

Corporal Punishment. Inflicting pain on another person

Cruelty to animals. Includes organised dog fighting, bear baiting, badger baiting, cock fighting. Also ‘crush’ material which features humans stamping on vertebrates or standing on them with increased pressure until they are crushed.

Defecation. Voiding excrement from the bowels.

Enemas. Flushing the bowels with water, usually to drink the product or torture the victim.

Fisting. (anal or vaginal) Inserting a fist in the anus or vagina for sexual gratification.

Insertion of an object. Only where the insertion clearly inflicts pain.

Menstrual Blood. Sex between adults where the female is menstruating heavily and the blood is being smeared on the body or the used tampon is being sucked etc. This does not include post-intercourse depictions where a small amount of blood can be seen on the participants.

Necrophilia. Sexual intercourse with a corpse.

Sado-masochism. Sadists achieve sexual pleasure through inflicting torture and humiliation upon another person. Masochists desire maltreatment as a means of sexual gratification.

Scatology. Depictions indicating a general interest in excrement such as smearing or eating of excrement.

Urolagnia. The act of urination in the context of any of the following where a person is shown:
urinating at the same time as they are engaged in a sexual act. The urination and sexual act must be seen at the same time. The sexual act includes those such as fellatio (oral sex) and masturbation which would not be obscene if shown without urination; smearing urine on themselves or another; urinating on another person; being urinated upon; drinking urine.

Violence (non-simulated). Scenes of actual violence or mutilation shown in an exploitative context where they are not part of a legitimate documentary. For example a compilation of newsreel footage concentrating solely on scenes of violence or mutilation. This would also cover scenes of actual sexual assault including rape.

Violence (simulated). Scenes of simulated sexual violence such as rape shown in an exploitative context where the activity is graphically depicted and clearly intended to appear non-consensual. This excludes scenes contained in serious dramatic films.


(reposted from msdemmie)


Still not interested in politics?


Update: you've read the options, now vote in the poll.

Comments

[libellum.livejournal.com]

I actually thought that BDSM was already illegal and have been merrily breaking the law for years, so it doesn't make *that* much difference to me...

What about fetish clubs, though?

[libellum.livejournal.com]

I've just realised this is about film censorship, not practice. Ignore me!

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

It's not specifically about films, it's the proposed new violent pornography thing - covers films, photos, writing, etc. Similar to the obscene publications act, I think, but specifically aimed at 'extreme' kinks.

*changes post title to be more clear*

[duranorak.livejournal.com]

Sigh. No, still not interested in politics. Interested in changing the outdated ideas of a number of people involved in politics, which isn't the same thing. It's a fascinating list.

E.
x

[fizzybean.livejournal.com]

phew.. good thing I did all these things before they banned them! :)

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

They're not banning them per se, they're banning looking at stories/photos/movies/etc about them.

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

Menstrual Blood. Sex between adults where the female is menstruating heavily

I think this one boggled me the most. Why on earth is menstrual blood considered so offensive it cannot be seen on screen in a sexual context?

[flannelcat.livejournal.com]

Because Your Blood is Bad and You Should be Ashamed of It. *Fingerwag.*

Although, just found out that VAT on women's sanitary products was cut by Gordon Brown in March 2000's budget slash, which I must have missed.

[valkyriekaren.livejournal.com]

*nods* I knew about that - before then it was taxed as a luxury, if you can believe it *shakes head*

[flannelcat.livejournal.com]

Yuo. I knew that, but didn't know it had been cut. Apparently women MP's couldn't get Gordon Brown to say the words "Sanitary product" in parliament.

[glamwhorebunni.livejournal.com]

Budget Slash. Hehehe.

"Hello Gordon, what's in your Red Case?"
*pulls out whip*

Sorry.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

*rotfl*

[(Anonymous)]

Tony/Gordon?

Ewww.

[msdemmie.livejournal.com]

Just to clarify things, everything on the target list is ALREADY
illegal to produce under the OPA. What the new law will do is make
it illegal to POSSESS it (in terms of the internet it effectively
makes it illegal to LOOK at it).

In other words it doesn't matter where you get it from. It doesn't
matter even if it's a picture of you and a partner. It will still be
illegal to possess that picture.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

Hrm, I see. Is all of that already banned under the OPA? Good lord, we really are uptight :)

I like this phrase: "This excludes scenes contained in serious dramatic films". Who decides?

[bluecassandra.livejournal.com]

AAARRRGH if youre friend above is right this could cause major issues for me work wise. I have two yearly police checks so anyone that wants to mess me up career wise could just tel the police to look on my pc!

Also withy our friends on the oddness of the no menstrual blood thing. have a feeling that'll be going in my dissertation!

[flannelcat.livejournal.com]

Interesting. A mate of mine edits pornographic films and builds the DVD menus for them. Apparently the edits that the board of censorship are seemingly random - he figues it's whether the censors are having a bad day or not. I'll chat to him about it next time.

[missyasmina.livejournal.com]

But this is proposed,its not made a resolution about it yet?
Isnt there something someone can do to influence the phrasing and what it will include?
And what is 'OPT' that was mentioned? *curious*

And what will this actually mean?
Does it mean uk-based internet sites can not have such context, or does it actually mean that you can not keep such pictures AT ALL on your own computer? *a bit confused*

Im actually only interested in politics every 4th year, but in this case i do wanna keep myself updated.

[missyasmina.livejournal.com]

*OPA

I meant OPA.

[pooloftrees.livejournal.com]

OPA = Obscene Publication Act - a current law banning publication of writing/photographs/videos that are deemed "obscene".

[pooloftrees.livejournal.com]

That should be "publications" - my appologies.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

It means you can't VIEW such pictures on your computer, let alone keep them. In the UK, the act of viewing a website is legally classed as taking and keeping a copy of the content for your own use - even if you never go back to that page again.

There is a group trying to campaign against this but it's very difficult - the government are trying to make it sound like they're only banning things that 'any normal person' would be strongly against. Therefore, anybody who stands up against the legislation immediately looks like a really bad person.

[kelemvor.livejournal.com]

Normal: What everyone else is, and you aren't.
Besides, MPs are hardly the most "normal" people on the planet - look at what they do for a living!

[simm42.livejournal.com]

Hell I've been in photos of atleast 1/4 of those (as the victim usually and enjoying it) and have done atleast half

The scene already has a sensible rule: safe, sane, consensual - the 3rd being the most important as far as I'm concerned.

Any porn that makes the fact it is consensual obvious should be fine (is why anvil bdsm has some fairly hard BDSM scenes 18 rated not X rated)

[glamwhorebunni.livejournal.com]

Hmm, so owning "Salo" (film version of 120 Days of Sodom by the M de S) will be highly illegal? It definitely has over half of those acts...

Fly in ointment

[djlongfella.livejournal.com]

I don't know the legalities, but, can refere this story I know to be true.
Friend of mine makes porn films, mainly BDSM with all the usuall bits, most of them listed in your post.
His editing computer breaks, and he sends it back, with his latest production on it. The computer firm, which is where he bought the machine, call the police after viewing a considerable amount of his fottage.
Police arrive on the day it was to be picked up, long and short, including contact with various government departments and porn regulatory bodies, he was not charged, and his computer was returned, it turns out in his case, it's ok for him to make the films in the UK but he is not allowed to sell the films in or from the UK ( His films have a budget of about 20 -30 K ) so he travells abroad to sell the master, and then the foreign company put it on the shelves in this country...Just thought I would throw that in the pot...