Pornography, sometimes shortened to porn or porno, is in its broadest sense, the explicit representation of the human body or sexual activity with the purpose of sexual arousal. Over the past few decades, an immense industry for the production and consumption of pornography has grown, due to emergence of the videocassette recorder, the digital video disk, the Internet as well as the emergence of more tolerant social attitudes.

In practice, pornography can be defined merely as erotica that certain people perceive as obscene. The definition of “obscene” differs between persons, cultures and eras. This leaves legal actions by those who oppose pornography open to wide interpretation. It also provides lucrative employment for armies of lawyers, on several "sides".

Pornography may use any of a variety of media — printed literature, photo, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video or video game. However, when sexual acts are performed for a live audience, it is not pornography by definition, as the term applies to the depiction or reproduction of the act, rather than the act itself.

Effects of Pornography

Many people think that pornography is just harmless fun and that it has no detrimental effects. Research has shown that pornography and its messages are involved in shaping attitudes and encouraging behaviors that can harm individual users and their families.

Dr. Archibald D. Hart observes in his book, The Sexual Man: Masculinity Without Guilt that “Most young males have their sexual beliefs and attitudes shaped by pornography. Exposure often begins at age thirteen. This distorts their views of how women feel about sex and what can reasonably be expected from sex. . .”

Among 932 sex addicts studied, 90% of men and 77% of women said pornography was significant to their addictions. The same study found that childhood sexual abuse and frequent use of pornography accompanied by masturbation are key parts of the formation of sexually addictive behaviors.

In research conducted with rapists, it was found that almost half of them used pornography depicting consenting sex to arouse themselves before seeking out a victim. In another study, sex offenders said that pornography increased their appetites for deviant activities.

How Do I Know If I'm Addicted to Pornography?

• You are unable to resist looking at it.
• You are preoccupied or obsessed with pornography.
• Efforts to stop viewing failed.
• Much time is spent on pornography, masturbation in relation to it and recovering from their effects (feeling shame, failure).
• Pornography interferes with your job, schooling and family life. There is a need to increase the frequency or intensity of pornography (escalation) to achieve the desired effect. Irritability or tension built up with a craving for pornography.

What Can I Do If I Have a Sex Addiction?

If you or someone else has a sex addiction problem, the steps to recovery are:

• Face the problem. Admit that sex addiction is a problem. Most people need someone to help them take this step.
• Seek help in a “safe” place. The most effective programs treat the physical and psychological aspects of the problem, and involve the following.
  • Psychologist/counselor — The professional can provide objective, diagnostic and clinical help.
  • Support group — The group offers mutual acceptance, understanding, affirmation and loving care.
  • Maintain/strengthen recovery. As with other addictions, maintaining recovery is a day-to-day, lifelong process. Recovery gains strength as the person deals with the addiction’s root issues. Joining after-care groups can be an option.

Policy on Regulating Obscene and Indecent Articles

The objective of government policy on regulating obscene and indecent articles is to protect public morals and young people from harmful effects of obscene and indecent materials while preserving the free flow of information and safeguarding freedom of expression.

The publication (including distribution, circulation and sale) and public display of obscene and indecent articles (including printed matters, sound-recordings, films, video-tapes, discs and electronic publications) are regulated by the Control of Obscene and Indecent Articles Ordinance (COIAO) (Chapter 390 of the Laws of Hong Kong). However, the Ordinance does not apply to films, film packaging and film advertising material covered by the Film Censorship Ordinance and television broadcasts governed by the Broadcasting Ordinance.

Under the COIAO, "obscenity" and "indecency" include violence, depravity and repulsiveness. An article may be classified as -

Class I : Neither obscene nor indecent

Class II: Indecent

Class III: Obscene

Class I articles can be published without restriction.

Class II articles must not be published to persons below 18. Publication of Class II articles must comply with certain statutory requirements, including the sealing of such articles in wrappers (opaque wrappers if the covers are indecent) and the display of a warning notice as prescribed by the Ordinance (i.e. This article contains material which may offend and may not be distributed, circulated, sold, hired, given, lent, shown, played or projected to a person under the age of 18 years) on no less than 20% of the front and back covers of such articles.

Class III articles are prohibited from publication.

The Obscene Articles Tribunal set up under the COIAO has exclusive jurisdiction to decide whether an article is obscene, indecent or neither.

In determining whether an article is obscene or indecent, the Tribunal shall have regard to standards of morality generally accepted by reasonable members of the community, the dominant effect of the article as a whole, the class or age of the likely recipients, the location at which the article is displayed and whether the article has an honest purpose.

The Ordinance is enforced by the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority, the Customs and Excise Department and the Police. Publishing or possessing for the purpose of publication an obscene article is liable to a maximum fine of HK$1 million and imprisonment of three years. Publishing an indecent article to a person below 18, publishing an indecent article not in compliance with the statutory requirements and publicly displaying an indecent matter are liable to a maximum fine of HK$400,000 and imprisonment of 12 months, and to a maximum fine of HK$800,000 and imprisonment of 12 months on a second or subsequent conviction.

Submission of articles to the Tribunal is entirely voluntary. Publishers, authors, printers, manufacturers, importers, distributors and copyright owners may submit articles to the Tribunal for classification ruling if in doubt.

Common questions asked by Teenagers

References

Dr. Archibald D. Hart, The Sexual Man: Masculinity Without Guilt (Dallas, Texas: Word Publishing, 1994), 33

Dr. Victor B. Cline, Pornography’s Effects on Adults & Children (New York, New York: Morality in Media), 5; quoted from: Dr. Patrick Carnes, Don’t Call it Love: Recovery from Sexual Addictions (New York, New York, Bantam Publishing Group, 1991).

Dr. Victor B. Cline, Pornography’s Effects on Adults & Children (New York, New York: Morality in Media), 5; quoted from W.L. Marshall, A Report on the Use of Pornography by Sexual Offenders (Ottawa, Canada: Federal Department of  Justice, 1983).

Dr. Victor B. Cline, Pornography’s Effects on Adults & Children (New York, New York: Morality in Media), 5; quoted from G.G. Abel, Use of Pornography and Erotica by Sex Offenders, presented to U.S. Attorney General’s Commission  on Pornography, Houston, Texas, 1985.