More Porn, Less Rape...
This comes around every now and again, a new paper discussing the correlation between the drop in rape, while the availability of porn continues to rise (thank you, innanetz!)

Here is the recent paper on the issue.

Of course, like any statistics one must remember that correlation does not equal causation. Very important thing to always keep in mind as a lot of people like to twist statistics to support their point of view. Just because there appears to be a similiar trend in two different variables, doesn't mean that the changes are directly related.

One of the increasingly popular examples of this is imbedded in the growing cult of the Flying Spaghetti Monster: Over the years the number of pirates has decreased, while global temperature has gone up, so fewer pirates leads to global warming. This is delicious satire, as this is obviously an incorrect assertion. But politicians, religious leaders, and other cult figures still gladly toss about similar fallacies -- they rely on the unfortunately safe assumption that people won't stop to think about it.

And as Ed Brayton notes, even if one cannot draw a direct causation, this research shows that the old conservative standby excuse that "porn causes rape" may not be all that solid an argument.

Frankly, I see them as the results of a more systemic problem. I think our culture encourages attitudes of being predatory, consumeristic (and I mean that in many ways), as well as being self-focused and unable to delay gratification. These attitudes work to devalue sexual intimacy which drives up the demand for pornography, which in turn further encourages the defective attides.


I have mixed feelings about porn. I think by and large it is extremely exploitive and adversely affects individual psychology and society at large -- by encouraging a purely predatory approach to sexuality. I will admit, however, that I do enjoy what normally earns the snooty label of "erotica." The subjects generally earn a larger portion of the profit the material brings in and they are not utilized in a way that strips them of their personal will, power and humanity.

You might disagree with the line I've drawn.