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Monday, March 25, 2013

Pornographic films, should they be banned?

 By Farida Shiabu

As a kid, do you remember watching a movie with your parents where you had to close your eyes immediately there is a sex scene? Sometimes you may pretend doing something just to feel distracted or perhaps your parents may suddenly flip the channel to prevent you from watching right? Well, that was then. Not anymore in the 21st century or so called computer age.

Pornographic materials are out of control now and it’s either you watch or take your eyes off once its slapped right on your face. It is everywhere- in our movies, newspapers, dressing and even on the internet. We are exposed to it at least once in our everyday lives. But if indeed the Holy Book tells us that sins committed by watching provocative materials are just as much as engaging in them then maybe I can say that most of us are already porn stars. May God forgive us...Amen!  

A heated debate on the BBC radio a couple of weeks ago got me engrossed in the argument. “Pornographic films, should it be banned?” asked the host to his panelists in the studio. The focus of discussion was on the indiscriminate use of the internet by these sites and whether it is even legal to expose such obscene videos on the net. Could there be a solution to reduce it by way of censorship or ban it outrightly?

Don’t pretend you haven’t seen any of these “blue films” before. This is a topic worth discussing so let’s get talking. Many will agree that uploading of pornographic films on the internet dated way back into decades but the advancement of technology has made it possible for everyone to access it anywhere these days. Instead of using the internet as a learning centre, some children even go to the internet cafés just to pay monies and to log into these porno sites and feed their eyes. That is purely moral decadence if you ask me.

According to panelists on the debate platform, research has shown that there are over 1001 sites on the internet where some of these films can be accessed. So if technology has made the internet so accessible, imagine the number of people who will be exposed to any of these sites every day.

The first argument from the proposing side was that whereas more and more young people are getting access to view these contents, they are picking up some new tutorials and are applying them in their sex lives. That should be a good thing, some will say. However, research suggests that most relationships and marriages of today are failing so much because partners tend to prioritize sex more than anything else that will bond the union. The influence of porno films makes them view sex in a totally different way.

For some ladies, you either have to be familiar with the wheelbarrow, 69, doggie or be a diva in oral sex before you are fully considered a marriage material. Once you cannot satisfy your guy, he tends to look elsewhere for a better alternative. Same thing applies to ladies who feel their guys cannot rock their beds enough. Usually, the end result is cheating.

Whereas most of the scenes are set to amuse viewers, it was also argued that contents now relate to sexual abuses on women in these films. The brutality and the maltreatment are just too much for some to bear. Studies have therefore shown that men who are exposed to such scenes tend to regard women as sex idols. Some partners are sometimes inclined to take the same practice into the bedroom; all in the name of changing the status quo to make sex more exciting.

As for the aphrodisiacs and all the other performance boosters, they only tend to weaken the sex organs and make it less fertile.

On the contrary, views from the opposing panelist who happened to be a porn star was apparently directed at portraying sex as an everyday phenomenon and as such should not be viewed as a big deal. In her defense she argued that most of the sexual abuses were just acts to make the scene interesting. Therefore, actors are trained to act in a way that makes the whole scene look exciting and erotic. However, no lady is forced into the industry against her will. Also, none of their viewers are forced to practice whatever they watch at home. Therefore it is a matter of choice for viewers to decide on what happens between the sheets in their bedrooms.

But let’s try addressing the issue. Should pornographic films be censored on the internet, maybe children will have to log in with a credit card account before they can have access to it. This will probably instill some level of discipline and responsibility even in the industry and also prevent young ones from engaging in such illicit acts. 

What about our print and electronic media? Movies have always been rated PG18 but are shown in broad day light when kids are back from school. Maybe it’s about time the media fraternity address some of these issues to make the  system less polluted.

Too late for a solution some will say but whichever way- in fact whether a ban or censorship we can prevent the vulgarity and obscenity in our system. Perhaps children won’t be so eager to practice what they learn on the internet and we will save our young ones from becoming parents at age four and five. 

Let’s continue the debate. Do you agree or not? Share some views and solutions.

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