Evidence shows pornography leads to harassment and abuse of women

   To the Editor: 
   
   I would like to reply to the recent round of letters on pornography in
   The Tech, Tuesday, Feb. 12. 
   
   In reply to Russell Karlberg's letter ["Denies pornography results in
   harassment of women"], I am glad that he has taken the time to read
   Ordeal, by Linda Lovelace. As for how pornography affects men's
   actions toward women and children, I suggest that he also read the
   public hearings on pornography that were held in Minneapolis. 
   
   In short, these hearings document how women have been abused as a
   direct result of pornography, with the words of the women themselves
   and of men who have observed abuse. Questions of "ethics" work well in
   a perfect world, but in our country ethics are controlled by those who
   have money and power. 
   
   In reply to David Simson's letter ["Mature discussion is needed"]:
   women's groups have been talking, but few people, especially men, have
   been listening. Once the word pornography passes our lips, we are
   accused of wanting to ban or censor pornography or remove the freedom
   of speech, accused of "moralism" or of demanding special treatment, or
   worse. 
   
   Unfortunately, the right of men or groups of men and women to
   interpret the words of women or other minority groups has a long
   history behind it. The Tech has certainly been a party to these
   misinterpretations. 
   
   In reply to Robert Krawitz's letter ["Dean's Office enforces its
   policies selectively"], I personally apologize for the fact that Not a
   Love Story was not prescreened, and hope that no one who saw the film
   was offended by its sexually explicit scenes. We did have a discussion
   afterwards, and no one brought that up. And yes, harassment is a
   serious charge, and yes, pornography harasses women. 
   
   Pornography is an eight billion dollar-a-year business that is one of
   the largest sectors of the entertainment industry. The vast majority
   of pornography represents women as complete sexual objects, as
   masochistic, as treacherous, as deserving of abuse, punishment,
   torture, mutilation, humiliation and death. 
   
   The objectification of women in pornography allows the viewer to
   separate him/herself from the humiliation and pain experienced by the
   women portrayed in pornography. Viewers do not question why pain
   brings sexual pleasure and why women (or children or men who act like
   women) are the victims of the mental and physical abuse and violence
   pictured in pornography. 
   
   There is now tremendous violence against women in this country. For
   example, 70 percent of all victims of assault admitted to hospital
   emergency rooms are women beaten by their husbands or boyfriends. 
   
   For those who have forgotten history, such a situation has existed
   before: huge propaganda for violence against a group of people, and
   violence against that group. It occurred during the rise of the Ku
   Klux Klan in this country and it occurred in pre-Holocaust Nazi
   Germany. 
   
   Bans, censorship, the First Amendment and even civil rights aside, the
   fact is that anyone who attends pornographic films is condoning
   violence toward women and the exploitation and degradation of women.
   All studies aside, it is obvious that the portrayal of women in
   pornography does and will affect our attitudes toward women. 
   
   All MIT students and members of the MIT community should be at the
   next pornographic film, protesting violence and dehumanization of
   women. All members of the MIT community should stand up and condemn
   sexist jokes, comments and actions, whether it is their friends or
   strangers who commit these acts. 
   
   For the campus to follow The Tech's lead, for the administrators who
   condone pornography by not protesting it, is to not take a stand on
   human rights of the most basic kind. 
   
   Irene Baker G
   
   
   
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Copyright 1985 by The Tech. All rights reserved.
This story was published on  Friday,  February 15, 1985 .
Volume 105, Number 4
The story began on page  8
and jumped to page  9.

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