Gert Martin Hald
Danish psychologist Gert Martin Hald of the University of Aarhus has conducted
research into the effect of pornography on viewers.
In his
For The Effects of Exposure to Pornography: An Empirical Contribution to the
Porn Debate
abstract he
studied the effects of porn on a random group of men aged 18-30. The study
measured "Attitudes Toward Women, Sexism, Rape Myth Acceptance, Acceptance
of Interpersonal Violence, Gender Stereotypes and Emotionality" in both men
who were shown porn, and a control group who were shown neutral material.
Hald concluded that: "the study failed to confirm commonly feared adverse
effects of exposure to pornography on nearly all measures".
Hald's research continues, and his currently unpublished work is quoted along with other research in this
popular
article. His latest survey of
688 people aged 18 to 30 found that 98% of men and 80% of women had used
porn. "Especially we were surprised that so many women had used pornography
and used it on a regular basis," Hald told MSNBC.com.
Hald criticises the internationally persistent myth that porn corrupts: "we
see time and again high prevalence rates of porn consumption, a general lack
of research showing consistent adverse effects of pornography for the
general consumer, and that individual differences are important mediators of
effects."
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Shooting the Messenger
The internet is a convenient scapegoat for society's ills.
The UK government is to legislate how best to imprison potentially many people for viewing content on the internet.
How should governments regulate the details of our personal lives and control individual expression ?
Preserve Individual Freedoms
Backlash campaigns to ensure the right remedies are applied to the right problems.
Whilst doing so we preserve hard won individual rights and liberties.
See no evil.
The government doesn't want you to view certain images. And will send you to prison if you possess them. Even in the privacy of your own home.