by Kathleen M. Gallagher
The New York State Legislature is considering a new law to criminalize what’s known as “revenge porn.” It seems that in our brave new world of social media, it’s become somewhat common for couples in intimate relationships to share sexually explicit photographs via email or “Instagram” or “sexting.” Later, after the relationship has dissolved, recipients of the images sometimes share them on the Internet, with identifying details and disparaging remarks.
Such non-consensual disclosure of sexually explicit images would be banned under the new proposal, and perpetrators would face up to a year in jail and a $30,000 fine. Incredibly, New Jersey and California are the only states that have such a law in place.
Yes, I say to my elected representatives, please pass this legislation and enact it into law.
But don’t stop there. That’s just scratching the surface. So much more needs to be done to dig up the roots of pornography, prevent its spread and heal the wounds caused by our sex-saturated nation.
Pornography is not a harmless or victimless crime. It degrades women, damages relationships, severs the bond of marriage, destroys families and harms children. For many, it becomes a compulsive addiction. It leads to increased instances of rape and sexual abuse and the deplorable “sex trafficking” of human beings. It insults the awesome gift of human sexuality and assaults our dignity as human beings.
Well I’m no expert, but I’ve got a few suggestions for public officials:
• Don’t excuse pornography as “freedom of speech” or just another form of “entertainment.” You know that it’s not. It’s an evil, and it is corroding our society. It must be stopped. Please help build a culture of reverence for the human body.
• Stop giving away free condoms and start giving out self-respect. Teach young people about genuine love and chaste lives, not immediate self-gratification. Children deserve to grow up with a healthy understanding of sexuality; give us parents a hand to instill that in our kids.
• Don’t talk about achieving “women’s equality” while allowing women to be treated as sex objects. Every woman depicted in those filthy Internet images is somebody’s daughter, sister or mother. Women deserve better. Work harder to stop the blatant exploitation of women before you start talking about pay equity.
• Monitor the television industry. Both cable and mainstream broadcast television have crossed the line into pornographic content. It’s invading our living rooms. Studies show that watching sex on TV predicts and may hasten adolescent sexual activity. Fight for some reasonable restrictions and modesty, at least during primetime.
• Let the public know that help and treatment is available for persons addicted to porn. Fund a public information campaign just like the government did to help people break free of cigarette smoking. The dangers of “secondary sex” are just as real as those of “secondary smoke.”