The National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) supports ‘Freedom from Pornography Day’ today, Decemb

Published: Wednesday, December 03, 2008

'Designating today, December 4th, as 'Freedom from Pornography Day' is an important step in the fight against pornography here in Ireland and around the World, 'stated NWCI Director, Joanna McMinn. 'Today also allows us to highlight the very harmful effects of pornography and to name it as a violation of women's human rights.

' Research consistently demonstrates that pornography is harmful to the women engaged in it, to women in society generally and to the men who use it. Pornography is harmful because it objectifies, dehumanizes and humiliates women. The sexual assault of women is depicted in pornography as normal, acceptable and even pleasurable to women' continued Ms McMinn.

Freedom from Pornography Day falls with the 16 Days of Action opposing Violence Against Women and also just days away from the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, Dec, 10th) which is hugely significant as pornography is both a form of violence against women and an abuse of women's human rights.

' The NWCI supports Freedom from Pornography Day and calls on the Government today, to protect women's human rights through political action to address the harm of pornography,' Ms McMinn concluded.