Online Porn Reduces Rape
'According to the study by Todd Kendall, an economics professor at Clemson University, “the arrival of the internet was associated with a reduction in rape incidence.”'
Columnist Bob Dyer said that forcible rape in America declined 30 percent in the past 15 years, which corresponds to the time the Internet--and online pornography--became popular.
This is reflected in Japan, which has probably more violent porn per capita than any other nation, yet has one of the world's lowest reported rates of sexual violence.
Of course some have and will continue to disagree by using the old "rape has nothing to do with sex it's about power and control" bit. Well, if you don't think rape has anything to do with sex, you need to get that talk from Dad. Sex and rape both mean certain body parts connecting with other certain body parts, whether those parts are willing or not, you know? But let's face it, if a man gives it up over a photo, drawing or video, he's given it up.
And if it is true that viewing images and videos, whether of real people or not, leads to a decrease in sexual violence? Let's hope to God or Goddess or Allah or Whoever You Worship that the United States doesn't outlaw fictional depictions of sexual acts involving fictional people who fit the same categories of those very real and vulnerable people they want to keep protected from sexual violence.
See the story we got this from, which came out a while ago but we missed it, at http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/world-news/online-porn-linked-to-reduced-incidence-of-rape_100150446.html
Comments
With all due respect to my fellow "family member" and colleague, I want to add my own comment.
I agree that a man whose "energy" has very recently been spent is less likely to pursue an amorous encounter, whether willing or not. I imagine millions of partners will attest to that. And I agree that those who insist rape has nothing to do with sex must be using a different dictionary than mine.
But "correlation is not causation." It's possible that having a handy, instantly available outlet may lead to a decrease in sexual violence. It's also possible that it somehow works the other way round (even if I'm not sure how). But it's also possible that online pornography and a reduction in sexual violence are both related to a third factor, or have very little relationship to each other at all.
In any case, I'm very glad the reported incident of rape is lessening (assuming, of course, these reports are correct).
Posted by: Alden Loveshade | August 1, 2009 12:32 AM
If looking at porn makes men rape, then does watching TV violence make them murder? Art can be a safe outlet for impulses. As long as you don't become addicted, porn is healthy.
Posted by: TawTew the Naturally Perfumed | August 2, 2009 04:35 AM
This is crazy! Porn doesn't stop rape it causes it! How can you even think it helps? Men should think about their wives no one else.
Posted by: Aurelia Gomez | August 3, 2009 12:33 AM
I think that a 30% reduction in rape crimes is good news.
Posted by: Vernon Avaritt | August 3, 2009 02:28 PM
So the two Loveshade know-it-alls disagree, heh?
Alden, if it were 5% less rape, you might have a point. But %30? That's an incredible drop. Only big sex change in the last 15 years is the Internet.
Maybe it's porn, maybe it's people sending each other their nude pics, maybe it's sex chat rooms, maybe it's being agressive and obscene online instead of in person. Either way, it's the Internet what done it, Baby!
Posted by: Rev. Bootie | August 3, 2009 04:27 PM
Come out of the Dark Ages, Aurelia! Even squeaky-clean President Jimmy Carter admitted he lusted after women in his heart. That's human hormones and you can't stop them.
And if porn causes rape, then how come now that those 12-year-olds and 13-year-olds who watched porn online 15 years ago are grown up after seeing it all their lives, rape has dropped? The people who are at the age now to be rapists grew up with easy-access porn. The ones who grew up seeing nothing more pornographic than Playboy raped a lot more.
Maybe you need to go back to school and take arithmetic.
Posted by: Francine Gobel | August 5, 2009 03:50 PM
You know how many lynchings theres been since TV and video games? Almost none. There was lots before then. Now you live through violence including sports. Men get their testosterone flowing through watching the Rams bashing into the Cowboys, or shooting at hostile space aliens, so they don't have to go bash the people from the other side of the tracks.
Same goes with sex.
Posted by: Daniel Ebert | August 6, 2009 06:35 PM
Whether this proves conclusive or not, it's damn interesting.
Posted by: Fran the Man | August 9, 2009 01:33 PM
Human hormones? Did somebody say human hormones?
I love the way a human whore moans.
Posted by: Rev. Bootie | August 10, 2009 07:56 PM
It's obvious, isn't it? People who watch sports a lot or play roleplaying games seldom become serial killers. They get it out of their system.
Posted by: Imogene the Cardassian | August 15, 2009 04:17 PM
I wish my friend Emily was here to see this. She wasn't killed because of her posing. The man who killed her didn't even know she posed naked. She was just too trusting. What a shame.
Posted by: Perlie the Pony Girl | August 15, 2009 07:07 PM
Francine, President Carter was admitting he'd sinned! And those 12 and 13 year old are still kids! The fact they aren't committing acts of sexual violence means nothing more than that.
Stimulating someone to think about things they shouldn't is leading someone to sin. Jesus said, "If you've committed adultery in your heart, you've committed adultery." Sin is still sin, and pornography is still an abomination before God.
Posted by: Christian Andy | August 22, 2009 03:59 PM
It works. Since I began my rampage of rape and murder, I watch much less TV.
Is there no one on this planet to challenge me?
Posted by: General Zod | August 24, 2009 12:31 AM
I like this blog a lot, but this is a strange post. I wonder if it's true? Does playing things as a fantasy in your head stop you from doing the real thing? I wonder.
Posted by: Marie Gilbert | September 3, 2009 01:42 AM
We are a group of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community. Your blog provided us valuable information to work on.You have done a marvellous job!
Posted by: Randolph Decastro | January 2, 2010 12:26 AM
I think that your blog isvery good, very interesting . I found it on Google, Bing, MSN. I will back often.
Posted by: Hipolito M. Wiseman | January 12, 2010 05:51 AM