Andrew Vachss

Andrew Vachss is a hero of mine in a world where I find most people unworthy of such a label.  You can make up your own mind what you think of him after perusing his website at www.vachss.com, but for now – here are excerpts and links to essays of his which I find relevant in a paralell way to the feminist issues with pornography and prostitution.  The main difference is he deals with child sexual abuse, which, considering the average beginning age of prostitutes and women in pornography, has a huge overlap.

The concept of censorship is irrelevant to child pornography. lt is not censorship to outlaw (and punish) certain activities. Criminal laws are necessary to both illuminate and enforce the social contract that prohibits individuals from preying upon others. Nor is it censorship to criminalise production and dissemination of, and profit from, child pornography. In truth, when it comes to child pornography, any discussion of censorship is a sham, typical of the sleight-of-hand used by organized paedophiles as part of their ongoing attempt to raise their sexual predations to the level of civil rights.

The term "pornography" may give rise to discussions about what constitutes art. It may invoke issues of free speech or censorship. But no matter how you feel about pornography in general, child pornography does not belong in that debate. No child is capable, emotionally or legally, of consenting to being photographed for sexual purposes. Thus, every image of a sexually displayed child—be it a photograph, a tape or a DVD—records both the rape of the child and an act against humanity. [...] Today's children are creatures of the media. What they see in the movies must be "what other kids do," and the predatory pedophile skillfully introduces child pornography among other child-enticing "games" offered during the "grooming phase." This allows him to gradually lower the child's resistance. This is yet another reason to radically increase the penalties for simple possession of child pornography. It is not just some degenerate form of entertainment; it is a deadly weapon that creates new victims.

 Since it is well established that the vast majority of prostitutes are brought into prostitution while they are underage (and possibly even the majority of all prostitutes are monirs), it is hard to believe most of the female used in pornography begin their careers aonly after they turn 18, given the close ties between these two "industries".  Pornography is a child abuse issue.  Just because the child being abused comes of age during the abuse does not somehow make it okay.  Even when porn uses adult female actors, every effort is usually made to make her appear as young as possible.  The consumers of porn want to see images of underage women being violated.  They just don't want to get in trouble for it, so they find a legal way to view these things.

Explore posts in the same categories: Child Abuse, Porn, Sexual Slavery, Sexual Violence