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The question of whether a connection exists between pornography and the prevalence of sex crime is an uncertain and emotive one, which involves the issue of freedom of speech. It is widely assumed by traditional society that there is a link. This understanding is based upon religious beliefs and resulting cultural attitudes rather than empirical research. Although there may be negative affects of pornography, research does not support a relationship between nonviolent sexual imagery (including adult pornography) and sex crimes.
Studies show that when some countries legalized pornography, sex crimes in the country decreased. For example, when Denmark removed all obscenity laws, the incidence of sex crimes dropped by nearly 50 percent. (Some of this could be traced to the fact that there then were fewer sex-related laws to break.)
The U.S. Commission on Obscenity and Pornography was instituted in 1970. This commission concluded: "[We] find no evidence that exposure to or the use of sexual explicit material plays a significant role in the causation of social or individual harms."
Sixteen years later another U.S. commission was formed. Attorney General Edwin Meese, who was known as an outspoken opponent of pornography, was put in charge. After much controversy about the data and charges of politically tainted conclusions, the commission stated, "There is a causal relationship between exposure to sexually violent materials and an increase in aggressive behavior directed toward women." (Note the relationship is between sexually violent materials and aggressive behavior.)
This conclusion prompted considerable debate within the commission. Two women members, Ellen Levine and Dr. Judith Becker interpreted the data differently. After reviewing the same data, they concluded: "There are no scientific studies that show that exposure to nonviolent sexual material causes a person to commit a sexual crime or become more sexually aggressive."
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Editor: Karene Jade Howie
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