UK Govt considers havoc of porn epidemic on society

The Government has launched an investigation into pornography’s devastating impact on society as part of a review of current regulation following the passing of the Online Safety Act.

The Call for Evidence, which is part of the Independent Pornography Review, will collect views on “the impact of pornographic content on relationships, sexual behaviours, mental health and people’s views of women and girls”.

It is set to address the separate regimes covering online and offline pornographic material to ensure restrictions are consistently applied.

‘Abhorrent’

Baroness Bertin, who is leading the review, said there is a “whole tonne” of “completely abhorrent” online pornography, which the British Board of Film Classification would prohibit from sale on DVD or video.

She called for the loopholes to be shut, so content involving child-like actors or those purporting to be family members would no longer be available either online or offline.

The Peer stated: “The damaging impact that extreme pornography is having on society cannot be allowed to continue unchecked.”

Violence

National Police Lead for Child Protection Ian Critchley welcomed the review as he warned teenagers and under-tens have increased access to “violent pornography and indecent images of children”.

He said it would “provide a greater evidence base allowing us to better understand the impact violent pornography is having on the behaviour of young people and adults who continue to pose the greatest risk of harm to children”.

Baroness Bertin is expected to publish her findings later this year.

Child abuse

Earlier this month, it was revealed that more than half of child abuse cases in England and Wales are now committed by other children.

The National Analysis of Police-Recorded Child Sexual Abuse & Exploitation Report found that 52 per cent of 106,984 offences recorded by 42 police forces in 2022 were committed by ten to 17-year-olds, at an average age of 14.

The report called it a “growing and concerning trend (previously thought to be a third) involving a wide range of offending” from sharing indecent images to rape.