Please be cautioned that the following article contains explicit descriptions of sexual practices which the Ontario Film Review Board refuses to censor. The content will, no doubt, be offensive to many readers. We, too, find it distasteful. Nevertheless, we feel that our readers have the right to know precisely what is currently being allowed by the OFRB. Editor
In a closed meeting on May 6, the Ontario Film Review Board voted to allow the depiction of bondage, ejaculation on the face and insertion of a foreign object in any body orifice.
The recommendation read, “That the board allow in adult sex videos bondage, the insertion of foreign objects, double penetration, ejaculation on the face provided they are not in a context that is verbally or physically coercive and provided that the foreign objects are not weapons (such as guns, knives or razor blades) or potentially injurious objects such as bottles.” Only double [anal/vaginal] penetration was defeated.
Because of the public outcry that followed, the Board reviewed the new policy June 18 and, rather than rescind, has postponed discussion until November when it will review all its policies. Had there been no public outcry the guidelines would have taken effect in July. They could still be passed in November.
Patricia Herdman, co-founder of the Coalition for the Safety of our Daughters, told the Kitchener-Waterloo Record that the new guidelines are “a direct result of lobbying by the sado-masochistic community. There was no public consultation. Who does the board work for, the public or the porn industry?”
Pricilla De Villiers, who heads CAVEAT, a group for victims of violence, told the Hamilton Spectator that “Public pressure is having some effect.” Her daughter, Nina was abducted and killed in 1991. “What concerns me is that a public body would even consider passing changes like that.”
“The Ontario Film Review Board needs more leadership from the Criminal Code,” says Debbie Mahaffy, the mother of slain teen Leslie Mahaffy. “There are slasher films like Three women on a Meat Hook available. White females are an unprotected class in Ontario,” says Mrs. Mahaffy.
“If that kind of stuff goes into the stores, we’re certainly going to receive more complaints and rightfully so,” Waterloo regional police Sgt. Bob Gooding, who investigates pornography complaints, told the KW Record.
“Time is on our side,” says Bill Johnstone of Canadians for Positive Community Standards. “We will continue to alert the public to these proposed changes. We also expect to hear the rulings on five appeals based on the historic Butler decision of last year, any time now. The Ontario Court of Appeal could rule these Ontario guidelines obscene. We need a clear definition of what is degrading and dehumanizing to women.” Johnstone estimates that two thirds of the new videos coming on the market are adult sex videos.
David Butler, Crown Counsel in the appeals, argued that women deserve a higher recognition than merely being support systems for their genitals as many sex videos portray them.
Alan Gold, defence lawyer for Randy Jorgenson, one of the appeal cases, argued that because women in the adult sex videos are all smiling, the sex is consensual. Pat Herdman is furious. “Tying a woman up, ejaculating in her face and sticking shoes in her vagina are now going to be acceptable as long as everyone is smiling.”
Slasher video games
In addition there are frighteningly realistic slasher video games; games children play. Reuter reported that, “British censors have classified a video game for the first time, restricting it to people 15 years and older because of its violence. The British Board of Film Classification gave the rating to Night Trap, a video game by SEGA that combines live action and computer graphics. ‘This is the first game we’ve seen where there are live actors living out a script just as if you are watching a film” said BFFC’s director, James Ferman. Night Trap received the restricted classification for two offending scenes, one in which a man is hanging upside down with blood draining from his neck and another of a woman with a hook around her neck being dragged away.” British Columbia recently slapped a NC-17 rating on Night Trap.
“Technology is moving so fast that our laws are always out of date,” says Dolina Smith of Canadians for Decency. “Any new legislation must be broad enough in definition that new technology would be covered.”
Owners of child pornography will face five years in jail under a new law passed unanimously in the House of Commons June 15th. Bill C-128 also carries a new maximum penalty of 10 years for producers and distributors of child pornography. Written materials promoting sex with children will be outlawed along with films, videos, magazines and photos that depict children under 18 or adults portrayed as being under 18 engaging in or appearing to engage in explicit sex. Computer generated graphic images are also included. Works of artistic, scientific or educational merit are exempt.
“The new law is even tougher than proposed,” sys Bill Johnstone. “Pedophiles use child pornography to show children that what they are doing is OK. This is a solid victory for all the anti-pornography groups which have been networking so well across Canada. Enough is enough.”
Byelaws with Bite
Canadians for Positive Community Standards has just published Rationale for Implementing Sex Business Bylaws, copies of which have been requested across the country. By writing tougher bylaws municipalities can restrict adult sex video stores to locations in industrial areas, away from schools and residences. License fees can also limit these stores. For a copy, send $5.00 plus $2.00 postage to Canadians for Positive Community Standards, P.O. Box 47585, Hamilton Ont., L8H 7S7. (416) 545-9081; Fax (416) 545-7140
To protest the proposed OFRB guidelines write: Marilyn Churley, Minister of Consumer & Commercial Relations, 9th Floor, 555 Yonge Street., Toronto, Ont. M4Y 1Y7 (416) 326-8494; Fax. 326-8520.
The Ontario Film Review Board Members, 1075 Millwood Road, Toronto, Ontario, M4G 1X6. (416) 314-3626.
