Pornography and rape
Pornography and rape
From Suara Karya
Recent sexual violence cases are not unrelated to the influence of pornographic films which circulate freely in the community.
One offender admitted that he raped Mrs. S. in South Jakarta some time ago as his sexual desire was aroused after he had watched a pornographic film on VCD. A similar case happened a few years ago when a small boy violated a small girl after he had seen a film with hot scenes. His confession at the court trial was similar to the case mentioned earlier.
Which side is responsible? If artists in such films are questioned, they will instantly reject the accusation that pornographic films have triggered sex crimes. They will say that the matter of aroused passions depends on the individual. The artists making the films will invariably say that they performed within reasonable limits. Many excuses and justifications can be put forward, but the facts show that rape cases are frequent and the offenders often say that their sexual desires go haywire after viewing pornographic films.
We cannot put our hopes on artists to refuse to perform in pornographic films, because it is their livelihood. It is exactly like prostitution. We cannot prohibit someone from practicing prostitution if that is the only work available to them.
Our hope goes to the law enforcing apparatus to act firmly and speedily to wipe out the circulation of pornographic films, both wide screen films and VCDs, which are for sale in the markets. Pornographic films demolish the moral and mental makeup of the younger generation. The films will only invite the devil. We must remember that the colonization of this country is not only physical but also cultural. Some people have changed film art into a disease so that films which should have cultural properties are modified into a bane. Traders of pornographic films, books, and calendars show no remorse after the police have taken measures against them. If such cases are repeated, and the traders remain unrepentant, the question to be asked should be, "Have those traders escaped the attention of the police?"
NANI
Bekasi, West Java