PAWS

Pornography restrictions to further protect Aboriginal children in the NT

Amendments to legislation introduced into federal Parliament today to reduce the exposure of children to pornographic material available on pay television in the Northern Territory is a necessary and welcome move, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma said today.

Commissioner Calma said the Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Other Legislation Amendment (Emergency Response Consolidation) Bill 2008 will contribute to addressing child abuse and family disintegration in affected communities.

“The Northern Territory intervention has revealed a determined commitment across society to address the horrors of family violence and child abuse in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory and to create a better future,” Mr Calma said.

“Aboriginal children – wherever they live in Australia – deserve a future in which they have the same opportunity as other children to thrive, develop and enjoy life.”

The Bill introduced today amends the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 and the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 to restrict potential broadcasting and transportation of pornography to certain communities at the request of the community and after consultation with them.

“These amendments will further ensure Aboriginal children are protected from the potential for violence and abuse,” Mr Calma said.

The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) is particularly pleased to see that the Bill adopts an approach which is consistent with the special measures provisions of the Racial Discrimination Act, rather than seeking to override it.

“This means that it adopts an approach consistent with human rights - which is vital to ensure community respect and credibility for the measures and help to assist their effectiveness,” Mr Calma said.

Reprinted from: Human Rights & Equal Opportunity Commission

the only thing i can think of for violence/abuse towards children would be the types specifically centred around people who look underage, through being naturally young-looking or photo/video editing and camera-tricks. This i've seen portrayed in an episode of Law & Order SVU about "legal child-porn".

On the subject of violence/abuse being triggered or encouraged through pornography, that i would believe to be true and can remember a serial-killer stating something a long the lines of "if you want to prevent serial-killers don't ban catcher in the rye, ban hustler". I *think* it was Gacy. In personal experience i've noticed any man that was pro-pornography (which a great majority sadly are), they were more prone to groping women, thinking less of them and talking down to them. If they do truly think of a woman as a 'lesser-being' then that would be the psychology behind being violent/abuse towards them.. and if their 'thing' is children, then i guess it would be the same way after exposure to pornography of that nature.

To the point of children seeing porn making them more at risk, well i can see a couple of ways that could be viewed as true. If a child is left to watch porn, their parents are most likely sub-par in some way and possibly in others. - The child could become sexually active/curious at a younger age than is healthy and could possibly either abuse other children or instigate (most likely unintentionally) something they don't know about properly or fully understand the greatness of.

And, if it does then why does this law not apply to all of Australia?

It's my personal opinion that pornography should be banned. I can understand things such as erotic novels, to a point, but the complete degradation of a gender that is shown in porn is, in my mind, the most socially damaging thing around. If there were to be an entire generation growing up without being subjected to it, i think it would be a much nicer, empathetic and feeling generation of people than we have seen since the theorized orgiastic communities of Africa, where everyones ego was diminished by psychotropic mushrooms and community living without the concept of ownership in any form.

Am I to believe that white Australians don't abuse children after viewing porn but Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people do? Or, that white children are not affected by viewing porn but Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are?

It really just boils down to the majority of Australians, and really most white people around the world who believe they're not racist but actually are. They think (basically) training a people to live "like us" is doing good and in no way being racist. Even at the cost of a peoples freedom and culture, simply because its deemed archaic. Double-standards are everywhere, racism is no exception.. I've seen and heard a lot more child abuse in white families than Aboriginal.

I agree with just about everything you've said James, except this bit:

the complete degradation of a gender that is shown in porn is, in my mind, the most socially damaging thing around

Not all pornography involves the 'complete degradation' of either an individual or a gender. Now, I'm not exactly someone who has studied porn but is it not possible to have porn that is simply to people making love?

Thanks for posting the article Ronnie!