Guide Note

In the UK, a bill outlawing the possession of "extreme "pornography" may become law in May, 2008.

The new bill criminalizing possession of certain porn was added to the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill, a very broad bill that covers many different legal areas. The bill is expected to be approved.

The new law shifts criminal responsibility from the producer to the consumer. This change has spurred criticism from groups such as Backlash who believe people with "unusual" sexual proclivities will be punished, stigmatized and criminalized unjustly.

Fast Facts

1. Existing legislation on porn in UK: 1959 Obscene Publications Act
2. New act aims to tackle realities of internet age

Pressure for New Legislation

The push for new legislation came after the murder of Jane Longhurst, a teacher from Brighton, England in 2003. Her killer, Graham Coutts, had been compulsively accessing websites that showed sado-masochism and other abuse and violation of women.

Liz Longhurst, Jane's mother, began a campaign to ban the possession of such violent pornography. She found support initially from her local MP then home secretary (at the time), David Blunkett.

What is Extreme Porn?

1. Defined by the UK Criminal Justice Bill
2. An act which threatens or appears to threaten a person's life
3. An act which results in or appears to result in serious injury to a person's sexual organs
4. Any sex act that involves or appears to involve a human corpse
5. A person performing or appearing to perform an act of intercourse or oral sex with an animal