Renewed governmental inquiries into the regulation of sexually explicit materials have revived interest in the relationship (if any) between pornography and sexual offences. In this article we review the criminological studies which have explored this relationship. Availability of sexually explicit materials appears to be unrelated to the frequency distributions of reported rape, though evidence points to a decline in child molestation. In the second part of the article we situate the putative link between pornography and sexual deviance within some of the contemporary theories of rape causation and some of the known social correlates of rape victims and offenders. Community, victim, offender and legislative characteristics would appear to be much more convincing explanations of variations in the rates of reported rape than the circulation of pornography and sexist repression attributed to it by certain feminist and Christian writers.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AbramsonPaul RHayashiHaruo (1984) “Pornography in Japan: Cross-Cultural and Theoretical Considerations”, pp 173–188inMalamuthNDonnersteinE(eds), Pornography and Sexual Aggression, New York: Academic Press.
2.
AgetonSuzanne (1983) Sexual Assault Among Adolescents, Lexington: D C Heath.
3.
AlbinR S (1977) “Review Essay: Psychological Studies of Rape” 3Signs, A Journal of Women in Culture923–35.
4.
AlderChristine (1984) “TheConvicted Rapist: A Sexual or a Violent Offender?” 11Criminal Justice and Behavior157–77.
5.
-- (1985) “An Exploration of Self-Reported Sexually Aggressive Behavior” 31Crime and Delinquency306–31.
6.
AmirMenachem (1971) Patterns in Forcible Rape, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
7.
AvisonWilliam (1986) “Liberalism and Criminology”, pp 1–20inHartnagelT FSilvermanR A(eds), Critique and Explanation: Essays in Honor of Gwynne Nettler, New Brunswick, New Jersey: Transaction Press.
8.
BachyVictor (1976) “Danish Permissiveness Revisited” 26Journal of Communication40–3.
9.
BarberR N (1969) “Prostitution and the Increasing Number of Convictions for Rape in Queensland” 2Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology169–74.
10.
BarkerMartin(ed) (1984) The Video Nasties: Freedom and Censorship in the Media, London and Sydney: Pluto Press.
11.
BaronLarryStrausMurray A (1984) “Sexual Stratification, Pornography and Rape in the United States”, pp 186–210inMalamuthNDonnersteinE(eds), Pornography and Sexual Aggression, New York: Academic Press.
12.
BartP BJozsaM (1980) “Dirty Books, Dirty Films and Dirty Data”, inLedererL(ed), Take Back the Night: Women on Pornography, New York: William Morrow.
13.
BartP BO'BrienP H (1985) Stopping Rape: Successful Survival Strategies, New York & Oxford: Pergamon Press.
14.
BennettTony (1982) James Bond as Popular Hero, Milton Keynes: Open University Press.
15.
Ben-VenisteRichard (1971) “Pornography and Sex Crimes: The Danish Experience”, pp 245–61inTechnical Reports of the US Commission on Obscenity and Pornography, Vol 7, Washington DC: US Government Publications Office.
16.
BraithwaiteJohnBilesDavid (1980) “Women as Victims of Crime: Some Findings from the First Australian National Crime Victims Survey” 52The Australian Quarterly329–39.
17.
BranniganAugustineGoldenbergSheldon (1986) “Pornography Studies: the New Wave, A Review Essay”, Law in Context, forthcoming.
18.
BrownBrian (1984) “Exactly What we Wanted”, pp 68–87inBarkerM(ed), TheVideo Nasties, London and Sydney: Pluto Press.
19.
BrownmillerSusan (1975) Against Our Will: Men, Women and Rape, New York: Simon Schuster.
20.
BurgessAnn WHolstromLynda L (1974) “Rape Trauma Syndrome” 131American Journal of Psychiatry981–6.
21.
VardaBurstyn(ed) (1985) Women Against Censorship, Vancouver and Toronto: Douglas and McIntyre.
22.
BushPeter (1977) Rape in Australia, Melbourne: Sun Books.
23.
ByrneDonnKelleyKathryn (1984) “Introduction: Pornography and Sex Research”, pp 1–16inMalamuthNDonnersteinE(eds), Pornography and Sexual Aggression, New York: Academic Press.
24.
ChappellDuncan (1976) “Cross-Cultural Research on Forcible Rape” 4International Journal of Criminology and Penology295–304.
25.
-- (1984) “The Impact of Rape Legislation Reform: Some Comparative Trends” 7International Journal of Women's Studies70–80.
26.
ChappellDuncan, GeisGilbertFogartyFaith (1974) “Forcible Rape: Bibliography” 65Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology248–63.
27.
DuncanChappell, GeisRobleyGeisGilbert(eds) (1977) Forcible Rape: The Crime, the Victim and the Offender, New York: Columbia University Press.
28.
ChappellDuncan, GeisGilbertSchaferStephenSiegelLarry (1977b) “A Comparative Study of Forcible Rape Offenses”, pp 227–44inChappellDuncan(eds), Forcible Rape, New York: Columbia University Press.
29.
ClarkL M GLewisD J (1977) Rape: the Price of Coercive Sexuality, Toronto: Women's Press.
30.
CliffordW (1980) Why is it Safer to Live in Tokyo? An Exploratory Symposium, Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology.
31.
Victor BCline(ed)1974) Where Do You Draw the Line?Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press.
32.
CochranePeter (1978) “Sex Crimes and Pornography Revisited” 6International Journal of Criminology and Penology307–17.
33.
CongaltonA ANajmanJ M (1974) “Unreported Crime” Statistical Report # 12, Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research.
34.
CordnerS M, AinleyC C CSchneiderM A (1979) “Rape and Rapists in Victoria” 12Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology41–50.
35.
CourtJohn (1977) “Pornography and Sex Crimes: A Re-evaluation in Light of Trends Around the World” 5International Journal of Criminology and Penology129–57.
36.
-- (1980) Pornography: A Christian Critique, Intervarsity Press.
37.
-- (1984) “Sex and Violence: A Ripple Effect”, pp 143–72inMalamuthNDonnersteinE(eds), Pornography and Sjexual Aggression, New York: Academic Press.
38.
Crime Stats (1984) Victoria Police, Statistical Review of Crime, Melbourne: Papers Presented to Parliament.
39.
CRTC (1982) Canadian Radio, Television and Telecommunications Commission, Task Force on Sex Role Stereotyping in the Broadcast Media, Images of Women, Ottawa: Supply and Services.
40.
CurtisLynn (1974) “Victim Precipitation and Violent Crime” 21Social Problems594–605.
41.
-- (1976) “Rape, Race and Culture: Some Speculations in Search of a Theory”, pp 117–21inWalkerMarcia JBrodskyStanley L(eds), Sexual Assault: The Victim and the Rapist, Lexington: D C Heath.
42.
DavisAlan (1970) “Sexual Assault in the Philadelphia Prison System”, pp 107–24inGagnonJohnSimonWilliam(eds), The Sexual Scene, Chicago: Aldine.
43.
DavisMurray (1984) Smut: Erotic Reality/Obscene Ideology, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
44.
DeanCharles WKopsMary deBruyn (1982) The Crime and the Consequences of Rape, Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas.
45.
DiamondIrene (1980) “Pornography and Repression: A Reconsideration” 5Signs, A Journal of Women in Culture686–701.
46.
DugganLisa,HunterNanVanceCarole (1985) “False Promises: Feminist Antipornography Legislation in the US”, pp 130–51inBurstynV(ed)Women Against Censorship, Vancouver and Toronto: Douglas and Mclntyre.
47.
ElliottD SAgetonS S (1980) “Reconciling Race and Class Differences in Self-Reported and Official Estimates of Delinquency” 45American Sociological Review95–110.
48.
EysenckH JNiasDKB (1978) Sex, Violence and the Media, London: Maurice Temple Smith.
49.
FaustBeatrice (1980) Women, Sex and Pornography, Harmondsworth: Penguin.
50.
FieldHubertBarnettNona J (1977) “Forcible Rape: An Updated Bibliography” 68Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology146–59.
51.
GagerNancySchurrCathleen (1976) Sexual Assault: Confronting Rape in America, New York: Grossett and Dunlap.
52.
GagnonJohn (1974) “Sexual Conduct and Crime”, pp 233–72inGlaserDaniel(ed), Handbook of Criminology, Chicago: Rand McNally.
53.
GalvinJimPolkKenneth (1983) “Attrition in Case Processing: Is Rape Unique?” 20Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency126–54.
54.
GarfinkelHarold (1956) “Conditions of Successful Degradation Ceremonies” 61American Journal of Sociology420–4.
55.
GeisGilbert (1978) “Rape-in-Marriage: Law and Law Reform in England, the United States and Sweden” 6Adelaide Law Review2284–303.
56.
GeisGilbertGeisRobley (1979) “Rape in Stockholm” 17Criminology311–32.
57.
GiglioErnest D (1985) “Pornography in Denmark: A Public Policy Model for the United States?” 8Comparative Social Research281–300.
58.
GoldsteinMichael J, KantHarold SHartmanJohn J (1973) Pornography and Sexual Deviance, Berkeley: University of California Press.
59.
GoodchildsJ DZellmanG L (1984) “Sexual Signalling and Sexual Aggression in Adolescent Relationships”, pp 234–44inMalamuthNDonnersteinE(eds), Pornography and Sexual Aggression, New York: Academic Press.
60.
GriffinSusan (1977) “Rape: The All-American Crime”, originally published in Ramparts Magazine (September1971), reprinted inChappellDuncan(eds), Forcible Rape, New York: Columbia University Press.
61.
GrothA NicholasBurgessAnn (1977) “Sexual Dysfunction During Rape” 297New England Journal of Medicine766.
62.
GrothA NicholasBirnbaumH Jean (1979) Men Who Rape: The Psychology of the Offender, New York: Plenum Press.
63.
HaymanCLanzaC (1971) “Rape in the District of Columbia”, Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association, Washington DC. Cited in Wright (1980b).
64.
HenryLee (1980) “Hospital Care for Victims of Sexual Assault”, pp 163–77inScuttJocelynne A(ed)Rape Law Reform, Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology.
65.
HindelangMichael JDavisBruce L (1977) “Forcible Rape in the United States: A Statistical Profile”, pp 87–114inChappell(eds)Forcible Rape, New York: Columbia University Press.
66.
HurschCarolyn (1977) The Trouble with Rape, Chicago: Nelson-Hall.
67.
KossM POrosC J (1982) “Sexual Experiences Survey: A Research Instrument Investigating Sexual Aggression and Victimization” 50Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology445–57.
68.
KuppersteinL RWilsonW C (1971) “Erotica and Anti-Social Behavior: An Analysis of Selected Social Indicator Statistics”, pp 311–23inTechnical Reports of the Commission on Obscenity and Pornography, Vol 7, Washington DC: US Government Publishing Office.
69.
KutchinskyBerl (1971) “Towards an Explanation of the Decrease in Registered Sex Crimes in Copenhagen”, pp 263–310inTechnical Reports of the Commission on Obscenity and Pornography, Vol 7, Washington DC: US Government Publishing Office.
70.
-- (1973) “The Effect of Easy Availability of Pornography on the Incidence of Sex Crimes: The Danish Experience” 29Journal of Social Issues163–79.
71.
-- (1976) “Deviance and Criminality: the Case of Voyeur in a Peeper's Paradise” 37Diseases of the Nervous System145–51.
72.
-- (1983) “Obscenity and Pornography: Behavioral Aspects”, pp 1079–85in Vol IIIKadishSandford(ed), Encyclopedia of Crime and Justice, New York: Pree Press.
73.
-- (1985) “Pornography and its Effects in Denmark and the United States: A Rejoinder and Beyond” 8Comparative Social research301–30.
74.
La FreeGary (1980a) “Variables Affecting Guilty Pleas and Convictions in Rape Cases: Towards a Social Theory of Rape Processing” 58Social Forces833–50.
75.
-- (1980b) “The Effect of Sexual Stratification by Race on Official Reactions to Rape” 45American Sociological Review842–54.
76.
-- (1982) “Male Power and Female Victimization; Toward a Theory of Interracial Rape” 88American Journal of Socoiology311–28.
77.
La GrandCamille (1973) “Rape and Rape Laws: Sexism in Society and Law” 61California Law Review919–41.
78.
Law Reform Commission of Victoria (1985) Unsworn Statements in Criminal Trials, Report No 2, Victoria.
79.
Le VineRobert (1959) “Gush Sex Offenses: A Study in Social Control” 61American Anthropologist465–90.
80.
LevineSylviaKoenigJoseph (1980) Why Men Rape, Interviews with Convicted Rapists, Toronto: Macmillan.
81.
LevyHoward S (1975) Japanese Sex Crimes in Modern Times, Chinese Association for Folklore, South Pasadena: Langstaff Books.
82.
LohWallace D (1980) “The Impact of Common Law and Reform Rape Statutes on Prosecution: An Empirical Study” 55Washington Law Review543–652.
83.
-- (1981) “Q: What has Reform of Rape Legislation Wrought? A: Truth in Criminal Labelling” 37Journal of Social Issues28–52.
84.
LRCC (1978) Law Reform Commission of Canada, Report on Sex Offenses, Ottawa: Supply and Services.
85.
McCagheyCharles (1980) Crime in American Society, New York: Macmillan.
86.
McCaldonR (1980) “Treating Sexual Offenders”, pp 146–59inLevineSylviaKoenigJoseph(eds), Why Men Rape, Interviews with Convicted Rapists, Toronto: Macmillan.
87.
McCormackThelma (1985a) “Making Sense of the Research on Pornography”, pp 181–205inBurstynVarda(ed), Women Against Censorship, Vancouver and Toronto: Douglas and Mclntyre.
88.
-- (1985b) “Deregulating the Economy and Regulating Morality: The Political Economy of Censorship” 18Studies in Politcal Economy173–85.
89.
MacDonaldJohn (1971) Rape Offenders and their Victims, Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas.
90.
McKayH BDolffD J (1985) The Impact of Pornography: An Analysis of Research and Summary of Findings, Report 13, Working Papers on Pornography and Prostitution, Ottawa: Department of Justice.
91.
MalamuthNeil and DonnersteinEdward(eds) (1984) Pornography and Sexual Aggression, New York: Academic Press.
92.
MarcianoL L(with M McGrady) (1984) Ordeal, New York: Berkeley Books.
93.
MillerRussell (1985) Bunny: The Real Story of Playboy, London: Corgi Books.
94.
MillettKate (1970) Sexual Politics, New York: Avon Books.
95.
MorneauRobertRockwellRobert (1980) Sex, Motivation and the Criminal Offender, Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas.
96.
MorrisNorvalHawkinsGordon (1970) The Honest Politician's Guide to Crime Control, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
97.
NelsonSteveAmirMenachem (1977) “The Hitchhike Victim of Rape: A Research Report”, pp 272–90inChappellDuncan(eds), Forcible Rape, New York: Columbia University Press.
98.
New South Wales Law Reform Commission (1985) Criminal Procedure, Unsworn Statements of Accused Persons, LRC 45.
99.
O'ConnorDierdre (1977) “Rape Law Reform: The Australian Experience” Part One,1Criminal Law Review305–19; Part Two (1978) 2 Criminal Law Review 115–29.
100.
OrneMartin (1962) “On the Social Psychology of the Psychological Experiment with Particular Reference to Demand Characteristics”, 17American Psychologist776–83.
101.
PolkKenneth (1985a) “Rape Reform and Criminal Justice Processing” 31Crime and Delinquency191–205
102.
-- (1985b) “A Comparative Analysis of Attrition of Rape Cases” 25British Journal of Criminology280–84.
103.
-- (1985c) “Problems of Research in the Justice System Effects of Rape Reform Legislation”, pp 113–6inBilesDavid(ed)Review of Australian Criminological Research, Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology.
104.
RabkinJ G (1979) “The Epidemiology of Forcible Rape” 49American Journal of Orthopsychiatry634–47.
105.
RadinowiczL (1957) Sexual Offenses, London: Macmillan
106.
RootJane (1984) Pictures of Women: Sexuality, London: Pandora.
107.
RoseV M (1977) “Rape as a Social Problem: A By-product of the Women's Movement” 25Social Problems75–89.
108.
RussellDiana E H (1975) The Politics of Rape: The Victim's Perspective, New York: Stein and Day.
109.
-- (1982a) “The Prevalence and Incidence of Forcible Rape and Attempted Rape of Females” 7Victimology: An International Journal81–93.
110.
-- (1982b) Rape in Marriage, New York: Collier Books.
111.
-- (1984) Sexual Exploitation: Rape, Child Sexual Abuse and Workplace Harassment, Beverly Hills: Sage.
112.
SallmannPeterChappellDuncan (1982) “Rape Law Reform in South Australia: A Study of the Backgrounds to the Reforms of 1975 and 1976 and of their Subsequent Impact”, Adelaide Law Review Foundations: University of Adelaide.
113.
SallmannPeterWillisJohn (1984) Criminal Justice in Australia, Sydney: Oxford University Press.
114.
SchultzeLeroy G(ed) (1975) Rape Victimology, Springfield, Illinois: Charles C Thomas.
115.
ScuttJocelynne(ed) (1980) Rape Law Reform, Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology.
116.
SimpsonA W B (1983) Pornography and Politics, London: Waterlow.
117.
SutherlandJohn Andrew (1983) Offensive Literature: Decensorship in Britain 1960–1982, Totpwa, New Jersey: Barnes and Noble Books.
118.
SvalastogaKaare (1962) “Rape and Social Structure”, 51Pacific Sociological Review48–53.
119.
TalbotP K(compiler) (1983) “Pornography: A Brief Annotated Bibliography”, Ottawa: House of Commons (M P Lynn McDonald).
120.
TonerBarbara (1977) The Facts of Rape, London: Arrow.
121.
WalkerMarcia J and BrodskyStanley L(eds) (1976) Sexual Assault: The Victim and the Rapist, Lexington: D C Heath.
122.
WeisKurtBorgesSandra (1973) “Victimology and Rape: The Case of the Legitimate Victim” 8Issues in Criminology71–115.
123.
WestD J “Sex Offenses and Offending”, pp 183–233inTonryMichaelMorrisNorval(eds), Crime and Justice: An Annual Review Vol 5, Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
124.
WheelerHollis (1985) “Pornography and Rape: A Feminist Perspective”, pp 374–91inBurgessA W(ed)Rape and Sexual Assault: A Research Handbook, New York and London: Garland.
125.
WilkinsJames L (1970) “Suicidal Behavior” 32American Sociological Review, 286–98.
126.
WilliamsBernard (Chairman) (1979) Report of the Commission on Obscenity and Film Censorship, London: HMSO.
127.
WillisJohn (1980) “Reforming Rape Laws: Are We Headed in the Right Direction?” Legal Services Bulletin, October211–13.
128.
WilsonPaul R (1978) The Other Side of Rape, St Lucia: University of Queensland Press.
129.
-- (1985) Murder of the Innocents, Adelaide: Rigby Press.
130.
WrightRichard (1980) “The English Rapist” 54New Society124–25.
131.
-- (1980b) “Rape and Physical Violence”, pp 100–13inWestD J(ed), Sex Offenders in the Criminal Justice System, Cropwood Conference Series No 12, Cambridge: Institute of Criminology.
132.
YaffeMauriceNelsonEdward (1982) The Influence of Pornography on Behaviour, New York and London: Academic Press.
