Why our extreme porn laws need to change

A law against possession of rape pornography, introduced in 2015, is very rarely used with few charges and prosecutions. This is what our researchers have found after analysing data obtained through a Freedom of Information request. Police focus The research shows that during 2015-2017 the vast majority (85 per cent) of extreme pornography charges were for possessing bestiality porn with only one per cent of charges for rape pornography. It shows that porn involving animals is the focus of police action rather than rape porn and the authors are calling for a comprehensive review of laws regulating pornography. Pornography charges Bestiality pornography, involving a sex act with an animal, is the most common category to be recorded and charged, followed by pornography involving acts which threaten life and/or acts which are likely to result in injury. However, rape porn and porn involving a human corpse are rarely recorded and very few offences result in a charge. Review of laws The study also found that almost all people charged with extreme porn offences are men (97 per cent) and that it involves men of all ages, suggesting it is not only young men who view extreme porn.