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Should possession of extreme pornography be illegal in the UK?

Durham University conference on Positions on Politics of Porn

Should possession of extreme pornography be illegal?

An event which marks the fourth anniversary of the suspected murder of a woman by a user of extreme pornography is to question why downloading this form of pornography is still legal.

Jane Longhurst was strangled to death on 14 March 2003 by a man with a history of using 'extreme pornography' – a term which includes necrophilia, bestiality and sexual acts which may result in death or severe disability.

As a result, human rights experts, feminists, representatives of pressure groups, councils and the police are meeting at a conference taking place the day after the anniversary of Jane Longhurst's death at Durham University, to debate whether accessing images of extreme pornography should be made illegal.

Arguing against the legislation on Thursday 15 March, will be Deborah Hyde of campaigning organisation backlash, while supporting the legislation will be co-organiser Professor Clare McGlynn of Durham University's Law Department.

Other speakers at the 'Positions on the Politics of Porn' conference include Gavin Phillipson of the Durham University Human Rights Centre who is addressing the free speech implications and Avedon Carol from Feminists against Censorship.

Conference co-organiser, Durham University's Professor of Law Clare McGlynn said, "While the government plans to criminalise possession of extreme pornography in the Criminal Justice Bill this April, there are several groups that are fighting this legislation and believe it is against their basic human rights.

"At this conference we are bringing together the major protagonists to debate the need for the legislation and to look at the key issues such as - is this legislation the start of a more sinister invasion of our privacy, or, is it essential to ensure a safer future for women?"

In response to the Government's consultation paper on the possession of extreme pornography West Midlands Police has described extreme pornography as "throwing 'fuel on the fire'" to "Those 'pushing the boundaries' [who] are time and time again leading to criminal offences against animals and children", while the British Psychological Society expressed concerns that "exposure to 'deviant' sexual scripts about what is appropriate sexual behaviour may increase… vulnerabilities… in those who are already predisposed to violent or other sexually offending behaviour".

For further information about the conference which is supported by the academic journal Social and Legal Studies go to http://www.dur.ac.uk/law/research/politicsofporn/

For further information on the conference please contact the conference organisers:
Dr Erika Rackley, Lecturer in Law work: + 44 (0)191 334 2835 mobile + 44 (0)7962 172562 erika.rackley@durham.ac.uk
Dr Nicole Westmarland, Lecturer in Criminology, School of Applied Social Sciences, Durham University mobile + 44 (0)7932604722 work + 44 (0)191 334 6833 nicole.westmarland@durham.ac.uk

Professor Clare McGlynn, Professor of Law, Durham University mobile: + 44 (0)7887 987133 home: + 44 (0)191 281 8094 work: +44 (0)191 334 6855 clare.mcglynn@durham.ac.uk
Professor Gavin Phillipson, Durham University Human Rights Centre mobile: +44 (0)7985 708568 work: +44 (0)191 334 2805 gavin.phillipson@durham.ac.uk

Deborah Hyde, backlash, which campaigns for an informed debate on censorship and is against the criminalisation of ownership of extreme pornography +44 (0)7960 171951 demolitionred@gmail.com

Other useful links

Wikipedia on the Jane Longhurst case and extreme pornography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Longhurst
Jane Longhurst Trust website run by Jane's sister Sue Barnett - http://www.jltrust.org.uk/ email sue_c_barnett@hotmail.com
backlash http://www.backlash-uk.org.uk/
Link to Government's 'Consultation on the Possession of Extreme Pornographic Material - Summary of Responses and Next Steps' http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/cons-extreme-porn-3008051/Gvt-response-extreme-porn2.pdf?view=Binary

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