Author: Satakshi Tripathi, II Year of B.A.,LL.B(INT) from Banasthali Vidyapith, Rajasthan
ABSTRACT
Sex is a questionable subject in the social texture of India, frequently being connected to unethical on moral grounds. Isn’t it ironic that a country where talking about ‘sex’ is a taboo ranks 6th amongst the top most porn watching countries in the world. The current law in India criminalizes selling, distributing and publicly displaying obscene or pornographic content. However, such regulations lead to the infringement of individual freedom and moral autonomy of an individual who wishes to watch porn as his right to view. For those who argue that watching porn has a positive effect say that porn helps making one aware about their sexual needs and preferences while those who are against watching porn argue that porn leads to unemotional sex between partners. It can be said that porn has negative as well as positive effects on the mindset of an individual. A lot goes behind making of a porn video, pornography has dark and hidden truth behind it which surely isn’t positive but full of negatives. With all the debates going around the world about banning pornographic sites, let's look into the darker side of porn and how it affects the society. This article aims to unfold the hidden truth behind the pornography world.
KEY WORDS: Porn, Pornography, Porn Addiction, Sexual Violence, Human Trafficking, Exploitation.
INTRODUCTION
To begin with the debate around pornography the principal question is: what is it? Derived from the Greek word “PORNOGRAPHOS”,
“PORNOGRAPHY”, literally means “writing about prostitutes”. Pornography has been defined as the sexually explicit depiction of persons, in words or images, created with the primary proximate aim and reasonable hope, of eliciting significant sexual arousal on the part of the consumer of such material. Porn is sexually explicit material (verbal or pictorial) that is basically intended to create sexual excitement among viewers. Porn is no new to the Indian society however with the invention of photography and expansion of internet the access of porn and pornography came to rise as well. Porn, a multi-billion-dollar industry has become a form of business to the society. People are indulging in pornographic content to gain economic benefit from them. Though, porn industry is becoming one of the fastest growing industries in the world almost 40% type of porn is a form of rape, pornography is one of the primary reasons for reinforcing sexist views and attitudes towards women. It can be correctly stated that bulk of online pornography is exploitation that directly or indirectly increases violent sexual behaviour in the real world. However, one cannot ignore the fact that watching porn behind four walls in a private space is no crime as it comes under the ambit of freedom of speech and expression, which protects the freedom of individual.
PROVISIONS OF LAW IN QUESTION
Under section 292 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, it is punishable to sell, distribute, exhibit, circulate, import or export any obscene picture, painting, writing, book, pamphlet or drawing which is lustful or lewd or depraves or corrupt another person. The accused can be punished with imprisonment up to 2 years and a fine of up to Rs. 2000 for the first conviction. And for subsequent conviction, imprisonment can be extended up to 5 years and a fine up to Rs. 5000.
Section 67A of the Act makes the publication, transmission of sexually explicit acts or conduct in the electronic form punishable. The accused shall be punished with imprisonment up to five years and a fine up to Rs. 10,00,000. This imprisonment is extended up to seven years in case of a subsequent conviction.
Section 67B of the Act makes the same offence given in the preceding section punishable if it involves sexually explicit acts depicting children.
According to Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, watching porn in private spaces is not illegal in India.
WHAT IS PORN?Porn refers to pictures, recordings or words that are sexual and are made or shared to make someone else physically invigorated. Porn may simply show individuals' sexual body parts or it might show individuals having intercourse.
POSITIVE SIDES OF WATCHING PORN
Pornographic entertainment can have a positive effect on person's sexual wellbeing, emotional well-being, connections, body acceptance, confidence, sexual knowledge, increase in safer sex practice, and self-acceptance in gay, lesbian, sexually unbiased and other sexual minority people. For certain individuals there are without a doubt benefit of approaching sexual material, seeing erotic entertainment, and involving porn with regards to their relationship or for masturbation.
Pornography also helps in understanding what does one desire sexually. Pornography can give us a protected way free from judgment to know where individual interest lies across the sexual range. Watching porn releases muscle tension, and helps in dealing with stress and anxiety.
NEGATIVE SIDES OF WATCHING PORN
Normal physical issues that porn users experience with real-life partners are inconvenience getting and keeping an erection, requiring obscene pictures to ejaculate, and trouble having an orgasm. During real sex, a man might feel disengaged to his partner.
Women are depicted as an assortment of orifices, ready at any time for anything sexual the man might need, and with no human or sexual requirements of her own. She is neither given nor deserving of fundamental human poise and regard; rather, she is generalized and utilized for men's satisfaction.
Numerous porn users find themselves turning out to be easily irritated at things that didn't used to disturb them and feeling discouraged or furious.
A portion of the normal harming impacts of pornographic entertainment for users can incorporate addiction, disconnection, expanded hostility, contorted convictions and discernments about connections and sexuality, gloomy sentiments about themselves, and disregarding different parts of their lives.
WHAT IS PORN ADDICTION?
Porn addiction refers to a person becoming emotionally dependent on pornography to the point that it interferes with their daily life, relationships, and ability to function.
This type of addiction may be quite common. Some doctors consider porn addiction to be a hypersexual disorder — an umbrella term that includes behaviours such as excessive masturbation.
FEW SUGGESTIONS TO OVERCOME PORN ADDICTION
ADMIT YOU HAVE A PROBLEM
People often fail to accept that they are Addicted to porn. So, the very first and basic step is to accept that you have a porn addiction and now you want to get rid off that.
SET BOUNDARIES WITH YOUR MOBILE DEVICE
These days, our cell phones and tablets are significantly all the more an entryway to porn as opposed to a PC. A similar web-based responsibility applies to your cell phone. Put down stopping points and use programming to screen all web-based action.
IF YOU HAVE OFFLINE PORNOGRAPHY AT YOUR DISPOSAL, DESTROY IT
To battle your dependence on porn yet you're clinging to that magazine or DVD in its mystery concealing spot, then, at that point, your "battle" is simply a disguise. Obliterate those things which you have currently.
JOIN A SUPPORT GROUP
A Support group assists you with recollecting that you are in good company. It likewise facilitates your recuperation process in the event that watching pornography isn't simply a propensity that you need to stop yet an addiction. These bunches give a protected, unknown, and sans judgment zone for you to impart your battles to porn and hear from others who are going through comparative encounters.
REPLACE WATCHING PORN WITH A HEALTHY HABIT
A Trusted method for freeing yourself of a bad habit is to supplant it with a positive routine at whatever point you start to want to enjoy that unfortunate behaviour pattern. For example, going for a run when you feel the recognizable desire to watch pornography is an extraordinary approach to divert yourself steadily.
THE DARK AND HIDDEN TRUTH BEHIND PORNOGRAPHY
Many individuals treat porn as a confidential issue, one managing profane material. Unfortunately, this isn't true. Considering how recordings are made and it connect to illegal exploitation, erotic entertainment is plainly an issue of civil rights. Often it is misunderstood that the performers are performing acts with consent and nobody is getting hurt, well this is not always the case. Many, many individuals are wounded by this industry. This begins with the mental impacts on the viewers. In one review, a survey stated that in well-known obscene recordings 88% of them contained violence against women. In one review, 80% of overcomers of prostitution say that clients showed them sexual pornographic content to show what they needed.
An extra component of pornography industry is child porn: taking advantage of minors and making graphic recordings of their abuse. Young children are getting into the trap of human trafficking because of child pornography or pornography as a whole.
AUTHORS CONTENTION
Pornography isn't the issue; its ramifications are and some of them are individual based and others are cultural and law based. Government needs to separate between the two. Banning would prompt further issues among youth along with cyber issues. Even though Sexual violence has happened even before the internet era, porn plays the role of catalyst in some sexual violence. Banning will not have a significant impact as there are a great deal of ways of getting around this ban through VPN, torrent and so forth.
Pornography doesn't have anything to do with individual lead or free discourse — this is an issue of equity. For the people who say watching pornography is a confidential matter in a confidential space I can't say it differently: watching porn is certainly not a confidential matter that harms no one — it is a demonstration that straightforwardly promotes the abuse of women and boosts illegal exploitation. The more individuals watch, no matter what their goal, the more women will be trafficked. The pornography business harms many individuals. The industry is highly flawed therefore I say, NO MORE PORN.