“Tiger Porn defendant miscarriage of justice averted”

28 May 2010 – The sexual civil liberties organisation Backlash have assisted in
averting a miscarriage of justice.

Andrew Holland was charged with one count of possessing extreme
pornography under the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 at the
Mold Crown Court. He stood to be sentenced for the offence, having
pleaded guilty mid trial under advice from his local legal team in
Wrexham. Backlash contacted Holland to offer advice to discover that
he may have been misadvised by his local legal team; and that he did
in fact have a defence to the charge. More.

Discourses of Censorship

On 9 April 2008 London South Bank University hosted a seminar on “Extreme” Pornography and Discourses of Censorship whose speakers included Professor Julian Petley (Brunel), Clarissa Smith (Sunderland), Alexandra Dymock (speaking for Backlash) and Consultant Psychiatrist Martin Baggaley, the latter speaking on “Links between extreme pornography and psychiatric disorder – much conjecture but little evidence”.

For a podcast of Alexandra Dymock’s talk,
click here and for the MP3 file
click here.

Lords thanked by Backlash

Deborah Hyde as Backlash spokesperson wrote to members of the House of Lords who had questioned the Government’s assumptions during debates in March 2008, thanking them and summarising the reasons for further changes.

Young Lawyers Debate Censorship

Deborah Hyde argued at the Trinity College Law Society in October 2007 that anti-porn laws ignore
the evidence about the use and impact of pornography, infantilise women and
bring legal systems into disrepute. Click here for her speech and here for backlash’s press release.

New law will impede efforts to curb real acts of abuse

Understand the unintended and undesirable consequences of the proposals as currently drafted.

Women say “NO” to Government ban on “violent” pornography

Women across Britain reject today’s presentation in the House of Commons of the Criminal Justice Bill 2006-7, which will make possession of certain kinds of consensually-produced porn punishable with three years in prison.

Click for full release here

Experts speak out

Academics Dr Meg Barker and Dr Miodrag Popovic have
spoken out against illiberal government policies. NHS clinician Dr Popovic has
published an article in the Journal of Sexual and Relationship Therapy, severely
critiquing the “violent pornography” proposal, while Dr Barker, Senior
Lecturer in Psychology at London South Bank University, told Backlash that the
planned legislation will promote sexual ignorance and “may actually increase
the risk of physical damage” among the 30% of people admitting to a kinky
component in their sex lives and fantasies.

Previous Press Releases

March 2007
Backlash tells Academic Conference new UK Porn Law will Criminalise Millions
- for No Benefit.

November 2006 Plans to criminalise possession of pornography are hypocritical.

August 2006
“Government proposals to criminalise the possession of ‘violent pornography’
will do nothing to reduce real crime. They will treat consenting adults like
children. And they run the risk of imposing much wider limits on freedom of
speech than they intend.”

The Backlash Campaign

Backlash is an alliance of diverse groups, representing tens of thousands of British people, campaigning against the government’s proposed new legislation to outlaw the possession of “extreme pornographic material”.

Backlash believes that this legislation contravenes the civil liberties of individuals wishing to view images of non-harmful activities engaged in by consenting adults.

It notes that there is no scientific evidence to support claims of a link between viewing such material and committing criminal acts.

It is concerned that people may be criminalised for harmless fantasies just because other people find those fantasies distasteful. Backlash asserts that the proposed legislation has dangerous implications for the individual’s right to privacy.

On the 5th of November 2005, Backlash consulted Queen’s Counsel Rabinder Singh QC, who concluded that the proposed legislation gives rise to real concerns as to its compatibility with an individual’s rights under Articles 8 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

On the 19th of April 2006, Backlash supporters met with Home Office officials to discuss the proposed legislation.

Backlash encourages its supporters to participate in the government’s legislative process and to write to their representatives. It plans to co-ordinate further lobbying activities in the future.

© Copyleft Backlash 2007

www.backlash-uk.org.uk/pressroom.html
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