NCJ Number
128851
Journal
Psychology of Women Quarterly Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1989) Pages: 97-112
Date Published
1989
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study investigates differences among feminists and between feminists and fundamentalists on attitudes toward pornography control. Gilligan's (1982) model of moral development provided a theoretical framework from which expectations were derived regarding attitudes toward pornography control.
Abstract
Participants were 44 adult women who agreed to in-depth interview. Results show that all participants, regardless of differences in ideology and attitudes toward pornography control, were concerned about pornography and its effects on women, felt extremely negative about it, and believed that it is related to violence against women. Both fundamentalists and procontrol feminists gave a higher priority to harm than to freedom and both groups did not believe that controlling pornography would lead to greater repression of women. Anticontrol feminists thought legislation would lead to greater repression of women and believe that women have more to lose by censorship. Individual rights and freedom are more important to them than responsibility to the welfare of others. Other differences were found concerning their hierarchy of values and experiences with victims of violence. 2 tables and 22 references (Author abstract modified)