As you are probably aware, the world is standing on the precipice of enormous change for women and children. For the first time in modern history, a nation — Iceland — has stepped forward to write progressive legislation that limits access to hard-core violent and abusive pornography.
Arguing that Iceland has a compelling interest in the well being of all of its children, and gender equality, the Icelandic government is taking a stand against a porn industry that has grown increasingly cruel and misogynist. The government is crafting a law that targets only the most violent of pornography.
However, we are writing to you because a letter signed by 40 internationally recognized opinion makers has been made public, vehemently opposing Iceland’s efforts. The Prime Minister of Iceland and her cabinet have received the letter and need immediate, concrete support from thought leaders, academics, and activists on their side. We are crafting a letter of support and we are asking you to reach out to your networks to ask credentialed people (such as lawyers, writers, medical professionals, public intellectuals, public health experts, social workers, academics, journalists, artists) to sign their names.
Below is the text of the letter to be submitted to Iceland’s Ministry of the Interior.
If you would like to be a signatory, please confirm that you want your name to be appended to the letter by simply responding with an email to me saying YES. If you have not already provided me with your title, credentials, institution you are affiliated with, town state, country, please do so, and I will forward your name on.
LETTER
Ögmundur Jónasson
Innanríkisráðuneytið
Sölvhólsgötu
Reykjavík
Dear Mr. Jónasson,
We are writing to express our support for current efforts in Iceland to develop and implement legal limits on violent Internet pornography. As scholars, medical and public health professionals, social service providers, and community activists, we commend your government’s determination to confront the harms of pornography. As part of a comprehensive approach to violence prevention, sex education, and public health, legally limiting Internet pornography will reduce the power of this multi-billion dollar global industry to distort and diminish the lives, opportunities, and relationships of Icelandic citizens.
Especially commendable is your government’s commitment to protect children from the harms of pornography. We recognize in other contexts (e.g., advertising) that children’s unique developmental needs mandate protecting them from predatory corporate interests. As pornography invades children’s lives and psyches at ever earlier ages and with ever more distressing effects, this recognition must be applied to pornography. It is naïve and unrealistic to expect parents and schools to counter effectively the influence of this powerful and pervasive industry. Rather, society must act on its compelling interest in providing a safe and nourishing environment for children. We applaud your government’s effort to exercise collective responsibility for children’s well-being by placing limits on a toxic media environment from which they cannot otherwise be sufficiently shielded.
We understand that your deliberations remain at an early stage and that many important aspects of the proposed legislation remain to be worked out. That said, we commend your government’s stated intention to define pornography narrowly (as sexual material involving violence and degradation), thus ensuring Icelandic citizens’ access to the fullest possible range of online information consistent with the protection of children and of women’s civil right to equality. As your efforts continue to develop, we would urge you not to be dissuaded by dark invocations of totalitarianism or of an unregulated black market in pornography. The pornography industry could hardly be any less regulated than it is currently, nor could the motivations and methods of the Icelandic initiative differ more starkly from those of authoritarian governments.
From adopting the so-called “Nordic” approach to prostitution in 2009 to banning strip clubs in 2010, and having stood virtually alone among nations in holding banks to account in the wake of the global financial crisis, Iceland is a global leader both in gender equality and in confronting corporate power. We are inspired by your boldness and innovation in protecting children, honoring women’s rights to safety and equality, and maintaining the integrity of Icelandic culture against the onslaught of an unrestrained industry of sexual exploitation. As a group of similarly committed scholars, activists, and professionals across the globe, we stand with you and look forward to seeing the final result of your efforts.
Sincerely,
I would personally and professional like to congratulate Iceland government, on their stand against violent porngraphy. I am a maternal and child health nurse in Australia and see the effects of women and young children being degraded and having low self esteem from general advertising showing women as sexual objects, let alone the porngraphy industry abusive depictation of females. Thank you for your courage, foresight and respect to our up and coming generation and gender equality.
I absolutely agree and support the Icelandic Government’s stand on this pervasive and soul destroying activity, well done in having the conviction of your beliefs on this issue. The Gold Coast Drug Council inc. Queensland Australia fully endorses this legislation.
regards
Suzanne Morris BSc; MA
Outreach Manager
May your courage to stand apart from the prevailing cultural atmosphere inspire many others globally in order to protect our precious children and future generations.
I am glad to leave my name to support this!
Please add my name
I would love to see our Government take this stand.
I support the Icelandic Government in their attempt to introduce legislation to limit pornography that promotes violence against women and to protect children’s exposure to harmful violent content.
This is a great move by Iceland. Porn devalues women and exploits inocent children. Violent porn is for the desensitised or depreved mind. Porn is addictive – it’s advocates are akin to drug dealers who are content to make money from anothers destructive addiction. The destruction manifests in the lives and relationships of our children. I know this first hand – I am a part of a school Wellbeing Team working with kids and their families. Why just Iceland? Lets work together to establish limits on internet porn worldwide!
where will it all end!
The government of Iceland is reflecting public opinion and i am sure will not be deterred from its purpose by the squelings of the depraved and the deviant. Such a move really shows up the evil that exists in this world, what a furore just to protect degenerate stranglehold on the morally deficient and inept. A chip is being made in their armaments, and hopefully this will be a start in the collapse of this decadent and degrading pastime, hiding under the rationalizing of “my human rights”.
I am a social worker in Australia, and absolutely endorse the Iceland’s government attempt to introduction this new legislation. I hope more countries follow suite. It’s about time that governments around the world make strong stances against all forms of violence to women and children. Children are our future and learn from parents and from the communities they live in. It takes strong governments and the backing of the communities to make these changes happen.
I fully support this – please add my name.
Please add my support for the Icelandic government to implement strict limits on pornography – patricularly involving minors and any form of violence
Dr Kylie Steward MB BS FRACGP GRADUATE DIPLOMA PAEDIATRICS
I would like to commend the Icelandic Government for their stance on attempting to limit access to hard core violent and abusive pornography, in their beautiful country. I hope the Legislation is successful and encourages other countries around the world to adopt a similar stance
As a teacher of 20 year I comend the Iclandic government. If only we had a government this strong! It would not only protect our children. It will have a ripple effect into the future.
Thankyou Iceland, lets hope Australia follows your lead.When will we finally say no to this. We want to protect our children from exposure to this harmful Violence.
This is a wonderful initiative and one which i support. Children today are being bombarded with all kinds of mixed messages about sexuality. Pornography does not promote healthy and positive relationships.
Yes Please add me as a Signatory of this Letter! I am a Clinical Nurse Educator in Anaesthetics/Trauma in Sydney Australia. I applaud the Icelandic Government in taking this monumental and overdue course of Action to Protect Innocent Children, Women, & Men of this Horiffic Activity. Well Done Iceland You are a Brilliant & Inspiring Role Model as a Forward Thinking and Acting Country, for the rest of the World to follow.
Wanted to give you a Yes email but site would not come up
Martin Fitzgerald
Yes I am happy to have my name and address added to this letter and I support fully what Iceland are doing. A pity Australia do not do it also.
My full support to a government that seriously wants to protect its future. We sadly live in a sexualised culture that preys on our children’s innocence and individuals cannot possibly protect children from this disturbing material.
Please add my name to the letter.
This is an excellent initiative. In my work I too often see the effects the pornography and its portrayal of women and children is having on our society. Australia must follow the Iceland’s example. Please add my name to the letter.
As a teacher and the welfare coordinator at a small rural school in Australia, and, even more importantly, as the mother of four boys who are all entering manhood, I am encouraged by the foresight and courage Iceland’s government is showing to ‘take on’ the power of the evil force of degradation of women that is violent pornography. Add my name please.
Thank you Iceland for this great initiative. There must be a ban on violent, sexually exploitative and anti-female pornography which extols the virtues of rape and female degradation. If only the Australian government had the backbone to stand up and confront corporate power like Iceland.
It takes courage to be the first to stand up and say NO MORE! I support Iceland 100% and hope this is the beginning of the end to this depravity that is permeating our society and desensitisating our youth to sexual violence.
No wonder domestic violence is at an all time high.
As a teacher and a parent I am gravely concerned about the repercussions this industry will have on relationships. Australia also needs to stand up and fight for the next generation.