For immediate release
24.02.2021
LABOUR LEADERSHIP CANDIDATES INVITED TO SIGN PLEDGE AGAINST PORN
Click Off exist to raise awareness about the harms of pornography. We are inviting leadership candidates Keir Starmer, Lisa Nandy and Rebecca Long-Bailey and deputy candidates Rosena Allin-Khan, Richard Burgon, Dawn Butler, Ian Murray and Angela Rayner to support our pledge against pornography.
Accessibility, affordability and anonymity have led to more people viewing pornography than at any time in history and the impact of individuals and society has been profound. Pornography is becoming increasingly brutal, with an estimated 88% of scenes including violence, 94% of which is directed toward women.
A Click Off Spokeswoman said:
“The Labour Party have a proud history of fighting for equality, yet we can have no equality whilst the abuse of women and girls is normalised and eroticised in pornography. The election of a new leader to the Labour Party presents a great opportunity for the Labour Party to stake a stand against the violence against women and girls which is endemic in pornography.
She added:
“Our Pledge Against Pornography offers achievable aims which anyone who cares about creating a better society should be proud to lend their support to and Click Off eagerly await the endorsement of the candidates.”
The pledge is supported by survivors of the sex industry.
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Notes to Editors
- Founded in 2019 Click Off is supported by leading academics and activists who are committed to the fight against pornography
- Click Off are non-partisan and our opposition to pornography is not faith-based
- The latest statistics and research by Click Off can be downloaded here: https://www.clickoff.org/downloadable-resources/
Contact
info@clickoff.org www.clickoff.org @ClickOffOrg
Age Verification Plans - Click Off Response
On Wednesday 16th October 2019, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Nicky Morgan MP, announced that the government will not be commencing Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act 2017 concerning age verification for online pornography.
A mounting body of evidence demonstrates that consumption of online pornography is harmful to the healthy development of children and young people. Given this, Click Off consider the scrapping of age verification a retrograde and cowardly climb-down.
During the two years since the Digital Economy Act was passed the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has come under sustained pressure from those advocating on behalf of the pornography industry, often under the auspices of the right to free expression and privacy.
In rejecting the implementation of age verification technology, the government has effectively prioritised the right of adult men to watch pornography above the right of everyone to live in a society where rape and abuse are not filmed for entertainment.
Click Off look forward to a statement of clarification from the government and a full explanation as to how the government’s stated ‘unwavering’ commitment to protecting children online can be met without age verification.