Viewing pornography should be regarded as a public health problem, MPs have warned.
The issue was raised by the Women and Equalities Committee, which wants to launch a campaign to stop people consuming pornography.
In this week’s report from the committee, it was found that the Government is failing to address the sexual harassment in public that is “deeply ingrained” in our society.
Implement immediately
The report uncovered that the harassment women and girls face in public places is “routine and sometimes relentless”. It said that harassment also becomes “normalised” as girls grow up, contributing to wider negative effects on society.
Whilst the Government has pledged to eliminate sexual harassment by 2030 under international obligations, there was no evidence of any programme to achieve this, the committee said.
The proposal is that the Government should take an evidence-based approach to addressing the harms of pornography, similar to the “huge investment there has been over many years in tackling road safety, or preventing public health problems caused by activities such as smoking”.
Maria Miller, who chairs the committee, said, “we have set out a series of practical measures that Government, public transport operators, local authorities and universities should implement immediately.”
Isn’t healthy
On Tuesday the BBC’s Newsnight programme shared stories of anonymous men who were affected by pornography.
The men shared how they felt “lonelier”, “scared of being around women”, “unable to build relationships” and that the consumption of pornography just “wasn’t healthy”.
It is now being suggested that transport companies should help play a role in a ban on watching pornography in public places.
Scarred
The Christian Institute recently shared the account of rapper and award-winning writer Darren McGarvey, who said that pornography has scarred him “mentally, spiritually and physically”.
“Before I was even aware this activity was potentially harmful, the damage was done”, he said. Like the men on BBC’s Newsnight, he claimed the consumption of pornography had “subconsciously warped” his relationships.