SL Left Unity Feminist Network meeting notes...

CLICK ON PHOTO FOR SLURL TO FEMINIST SPACE:


This was the third meeting of the SLLU Feminist Network and again it was really well attended. The topic for discussion was stalking in SL.

Experiences were shared. These ranged from unwanted attention, persistent ‘spying’ from neighbouring parcels, appearing in homes without invitation, fear of alts being created to continue ‘spying’ undetected, attempts to restrict contact with others to threats of distributing rl photos and information.

One issue was the pressure women were sometimes under to give out more information about rl than they were comfortable with including email addresses, skype names and using voice.

There just wasn’t enough time to recount everyone’s experiences.

It was clear however that these experiences were both common place and at times emotionally distressing. Some women have left SL as a result or have ditched their avi and started all over again.

The ‘mechanics’ of SL were discussed. The ability to ‘hide’, be ‘invisible’, track people’s on line status, muting, home security systems, radar systems etc. In some cases bans from sims had worked and in others abuse reports had been used but with little success.

It seemed that the most important factor in dealing with these events was having someone to talk to and being believed. In some cases it was only the intervention of a third party which helped put an end to the stalking activities.

The ‘official’ advice from Linden is to collect evidence, use the Abuse Report System and then avoid and ignore the stalker.

******************************************

The following suggestions were made:-

-a support group for people being stalked
- something that seems more "official"....so and so has sought the intercession of the Feminist Network. We have a report on your actions. You are being asked to cease and desist
- a forum to come and share experiences (and a blog) with personal narratives is also important so as to make it visible and raise awareness
-help in producing abuse reports
-also on the technical side to increse privacy and security of citizens inworld
-join other groups working for increasing 'invisibility'
-writing a post on stalking might be a small but important thing to do
-what if we put together a sort of kit? if we had a kit what should be in it?
-information on how do things like file an abuse report, where to get radar, things like that
-an advice notecard
-a kiosk at some place like orientation island
-tell them that people hang out at the slave silk store....tell them what slave silks are and let them know it's ok to say no and what to do if the person persists with info in a notecard that just said...IT'S OK TO SAY NO ...they may not run into a problem till they've been here a bit. But they might remember that notecard they got

*****************************

So ... we need help with this

Send us anything you think will be useful in a support kit
Send us your stories if you are happy to share them (no names of course)
Send us details of any other support you know about

Come to next Sunday’s meeting, same time (12 noon) same place.

( That reminds me ... can any premium members who could donate tier please contact Plot Tracer... we need this to keep our space here ... thanks)

More info here:-
http://www.selfhelpmagazine.com/phorum/read.php?22,98427,98427#msg-98427
http://secondlife.com/newsletter/2006_05/html/police_blotter.html
http://www.wiredsafety.org/gb/stalking/

*************************************

The meetings are fun too ... not all doom and gloom ....

: hiya :) how's you?
:Got a bad cough :C
: oooh snap
: me too
: coughs germs everywhere
: I have an antivirus programme that takes care of those
: sl seems short of hankies
:There must be sneezing anims?
: It's what we really need to make SL complete. Gestures for illnesses
: skins with spots
: ewww
: I have seen gestures for barfing
: lovely
: someone gave me an apple once
: And you made the fatal mistake of trying it?
: it wasnt pretty
: I bet not. You weren't living with 7 little men at the time, were you?
: I think I may have heard this story . . .
: if only ...i have only found 6 so far :)
: The seventh is under the bed. They always are
: be good if they did some cleaning while they were there
: Well, that's the good thing about them. They collect dustbunnies
: You just need to shake them out the window
: i knew there was a use for men
: always a good way to start a Feminist meeting ...jokes about men :)

And a final PS

A friendly guy was working nearby and kindly moved further away so we could talk in private. He popped back to say goodbye.

Him: hey girls
Us: we're still in a meeting :)
Him: I'm going home...
Him: seeya another time
Him: pretty preety you are...
Him:think .... if you were not feminists
Us: lol
Him: lol
Him: good night
Us: was that a compliment?
Us: I need an eyerolling animation . . .
Him: kisses for all
Us: mind you ...we do all look pretty good ..so he does have a point :)
Us: so we are too pretty to be feminists
Us: I'll work on that. I have an ugly skin somewhere
Us: And big boots
Us: And hairy armpits . . .
Us: You know, the "feminist uniform"
Us: im wearing mine
Us: the boots ...not the arm pits
Us: one has to work to get certain men understand that we're feminists for their sake … that there's something in it for them … like happier women

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Feminist meeting...

Brief notes of the meeting of the Left Unity Feminist Network held on Sunday 25th January, by SLLU member/ SLLU Feminist Network member Zoe Parness.









(Click photo for slurl to feminist space)

This was the first discussion meeting held by the network and the topic was ‘Virtual Rape ... fact or fantasy’ Eleven people came along for the discussion.

The debate was lively, friendly and interesting and it’s impossible to try and summarise all that was said.

Some of the points made were:-

Searches had revealed that women had experienced ‘virtual’ rape in SL. This ranged from being ‘bumped’ by a male avi with an erect penis, being tricked into clicking on pose balls, descriptions of rape in text to accepting objects which contain hidden rape animations.

There were reports of pressure being applied in role playing sims and other forms of deception.

Some women may laugh these things off and some retaliate or just quit, however others, particularly if they have had similar experiences in RL have suffered emotional distress.

Was there a definition of 'virtual rape'? Did this definition revolve around the question of consent?

There was also a discussion on rape as part of consensual role play (it was noted that rape pose balls were for sale). While feminists have been working on an understanding of the relationship between sexual fantasy and the exercise of sexual power within relationships, there has been research which raises concerns that such role play can impact upon attitudes to rape in RL.

We wondered if it were also possible that role play may give a new insight into the impact of this kind of sexual behaviour and accepted that role play can be both damaging and therapeutic.


We discussed whether it was feasible to expect SL to issue warnings, introduce protection of offer support to particularly newbies who were the most vulnerable.
Self defence workshops are available in SL.

Suggestions made included improved warnings about the nature of some sims, demystifying virtual rape, self-defence strategies and sources of counselling or support for those affected.

It was agreed to work with the Women's Resourse Hub to draft a letter requiring Linden Lab to include warnings in newbie induction processes. (we need to check what is already included)

We ran out of time so it was agreed to continue this discussion next Sunday at the same time.

Ellie was thanked for moderating the discussion.

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Why I am a feminist

By Feminista Cat

Feminista is a member of the SLLU and the Scottish Socialist Party.

I was brought up in a family where feminism wasn't a dirty word, my grandma probably thought it was but never really said, but she was a matriarch and probably redefined it to mean that she was in charge. My grandad was a communist though had left the CPGB in the 50s he was sort of independent, trade unionist and very jaded.

My mum never married and I don't really know my father, she always worked. Though sometimes I think given her lone parentness to the detriment of our relationship, but I now understand she was stating her independence rather than be dependent - my mother was quite bohemian now when I look back on my childhood and adolescence I just wish I had understood that as a child when I wanted to be "normal".

My grandad and I were a great pair, I think I liberated him when I was born - he doted on me and gave me all of his time and in return I loved him unconditionally - everything he told me I took in and processed. He would talk to me as an adult and tell me of all his political arguments he had had and his friends - it was almost like an adventure story. I grew up wanting to live in the Soviet Union as it seemed like a fantasy world when my other friends wanted to live in America. He could tell great tall tales and I only worked that out when I got older. It was evident he loved my grandmother more than she loved him but he didn't seem to mind (well not in his 60s when I was born I was born in his 60th year).

My grandad was very clear he was a feminist and he could remember the Rent Strikes of Glasgow as a wee boy and the tanks conming to George's Square as he was there. His mother, a battered woman and mother to 8 children and step mother to 10 had been very organised in the rent strike - his mother died in 1920 in child birth to her 9th child. My grandad was taken into care after she died because of cruelty and neglect from his father! He and his brothers were looked after by the Christian Brothers confirming his atheism to the day he died. "They should of been called the Cruel Bastards" when he talked about them. My grandad was clear in order for me not to be oppressed as a woma was not to marry and to become an engineer and as a member of the working class to be in a trade union and involved in my community and to read, read, read. He used to do maths and arthemetic tests on me all the time by the time.

I was clear from about 12 I was going to become a geologist and study volcanoes and plate tectonics, travel the world and become an adventurer. In my religious phase I thought I would become a missionary at the same time perhaps even a nun!

I went to uni for 12 days (if he had still been alive I would have stayed, I know I would have but he died the day after my 18th birthday the year before).

I went to Manchester in 1990 when the Poll Tax was in full flight and got involved at the Pankhurst Women's Centre - it was full of anarchists and Labour party Women. I actually thought they were a bit mad (and I think I was right) but I wanted to get involved in politics so I stuck it out. I was attracted to the anarchist feminists more than the Labour women, the Anarchist women were Radical Feminists, vegans and producing a fanzine called Subversive Sister - whilst I was never that impressed on a personal level, it allowed me to read a lot about feminism, anarchism and socialism. Most of it made no sense what so ever and I couldn't work out what was going on.

Then Sara Thornton got sent to prison for killing her violent husband, I had never felt such anger before at an injustice and I wrote to her, I then got involved in giving out leaflets and petitioning for her, it was at this time Militant had launched the Campaign Against Domestic Violence - I got really involved and later in 1992 joined SML. I suppose I got involved in more class and anti-racist politics after that and the feminist politics were more of a private thing.

I trained to be a social worker because I wanted to work with women experiencing violence and I have been lucky that I have been able to do that and better than that been able to develop a radical theoretical basis in social work (unfortunately I haven't been able to make the revolution grow very fast though there are small pockets).

Some women in the Militant used to meet as the Women's Bureau and we discussed the "women's question" in great detail. I started to read a lot about anthropology and paelo-anthropology. It became clear to me that class society was the patriarchy, it's the same thing, then is NO division.

Paleo-anthropology and archaeology suggests to us that the majority of the history of humanity humans lived together in peace and shared the resources, indeed there was a point in our history where they believe there was only 70,000 humans left on the planet but in working in partnership together they did not become extinct (70,000 makes you nearly extinct). There was little or no evidence that female humans were treated subordinately to male humans. There was sex-division in work and rituals but it didn't make one sex better off than the other.

If the bringing about of class society brought about the oppression of women and then as Marxists we are against class society as we believe it oppresses us i.e. alienates us from our true humanity then surely as Marxists we are against the double oppression of women via the patriarchy i.e. the rule of the father or men.

Once you start to look at the violations of women around the world and in our own communities presently and in history it becomes glaring. I have convinced many many women to become feminists including plenty that refused to become feminists as they believed in equality for everyone. But what equality? Equality is not a socialist demand. Liberation and emancipation is the demand. Feminism talks about that demand. Feminism probably is the wrong word, its about gender really and the oppressions and creations of the bipolarism of gender including how men are oppressed too.

Material circumstances shape your conciousness - the [Tommy] Sheridan Affair for me was like a belesha beacon. I think it is fair to say that Sheridan Affair had two effects on feminist ideas in the party. You either became hyper-sensitive to the misogyny of Sheridan, the press and his supporters (and even by some in the party) and it had a radicalising effect. Those that had ignored the patriarchy were reminded every day of it and felt oppressed more by the attitudes they were coming across as women rather than being working class. Tommy and Gail were allowed to smile outside court but the female comrades weren't. Gail could look like a film star but female comrades were castigated fro having summer dresses on. We were called witches, bitches, harridans and the rest. But the men were betrayed friends and comrades. We were accused of putting spells on men, of "manising", pussy whipping, being gender obsessed etc etc. Yet it was the women in court who were sexualised and abused - the men weren't. The treatment of Katrine and the other women was shocking.

Of course back in 2002 50:50 started it but it was in our programme, our manifestos and constitution - all 50:50 was was a mechanism to bring about something simple. However I think it was a scratch that turned into a festering sore (for some).

For some comrades in the SSP and now Solidarity and beyond they were repulsed by the gender divisions and took a reactionary point of view as it made them uncomfortable as it challenged their great leader who was a man. They chose to ignore the obvious gender part of the argument and debate and chose to go for the simplification of Murdoch Press vs Tommy our great leader/Great socialist, that was safe and made better sense than the complications of gender, ethics, morality etc. They chose to see it as a class battle and in doing so ignored the impact of Tommy, the press and themselves on women. I have argued with myself whether Gail is a victim of abuse/liberated woman making complex choices in a difficult situation, I continue to swing between loathing of her and care and concern. I wonder how those in Solidarity and beyond see her - courageous and strong or "standing by her man rightly or wrongly".

The criticism of the left in the 70s and 80s that lead to the women organised in the left being excluded from conferences and discussions is that they put "party first" that under pressure they resorted to an over simplification it was about "capitalism" and "class". However without the class analysis feminism has become the guardianship of the NGOs and academics. Which is neither liberating or emancipating indeed has turned violence against women into a charity. There was much bleating of the liberal do-gooders about a donkey sanctuary getting 5 times more that charities dealing with domestic abuse and my position on that is quite right too. Donkeys should be cared for by charitable organisations, women and children affected by domestic abuse should be cared for by everybody and until something better comes along by the state contributing either directly or indirectly to government services services and NGOs offering support, refuge, advocacy and recovery. You can't compare donkeys to women!!!

The SSP isn't actually influenced by radical feminism of the 70s, I think it is influenced by feminism today. I think many of us are becoming Radical Feminists but not like the Radical Feminists of the past. I think the SSP is rejecting post-modernism (and I think that is a good thing) and in rejection of post modernism you have to ask the question - why are women experiencing this level of violence, why are they still paid less than men, why do women get left with the caring responsibility, why are there so many single women bring up children. Where are the men and what are they doing?

For me I am revolutionary in my feminism, quite a lot of the feminism around us is coming from NGOs and academics and there is not a good class analysis, we need to bring that to the women who are being radicalised. You can see that in the debates around abortion, all the campaigns demand - abortion on demand (or on choice) and that it should be legal and safe but rarely raise that it must be free at the point of need for ALL women. Free at the point of need is a socialist demand. Without socialists getting involved this demand will be lost.

I have campaigned for 18 years against men's violence towards women and I guess I will do it til the day I die. I have worked in the field of domestic abuse trying to advocate a radical social work approach to men's violence towards women rather than systemic one that blames women and ignores men however it reflects society and it seems to me the SSP reflects society too rather being radical- I am getting there but it is an uphill struggle as social work and the helping agencies want women to be saints and mothers and not ordinary women dealing with difficult lives and complex choices.

I just can't separate my feminism from my socialism - I just don't think it is possible. And I wonder how others do? I am a radical, a radical socialist and a radical feminist. And I think you should be too.

Cat xx

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A reply... Pornography.

This reply is from a friend of the SLLU. He also recommends this addition to the debate: http://www.dsp.org.au/dsp/porno.htm

...the extract below seems to conflate the experiences of women in pornography with that of children.....althought the quote provided from Jensen only refers to women.

There is undoubtedly similarities and some "intertwining" - but I think there is a case to separate discussing pornography involving adult women ( and men ) and that exploiting children.

Extract from Blog -
"Consent and choice have been central notions in debates around wider commercial sexual exploitation of women and children (pornography, prostitution, lapdancing, trafficking and so on), and are at the forefront too, with regards Second Life. Both concepts are intertwined, and, as Robert Jensen, in his book
'Getting Off: Pornography and the End of Masculinity' notes,
"A meaningful discussion of choice can't be restricted to the single moment when a woman decides to perform in a specific pornographic film but must include all the existing background conditions that affect not only the objective choices she faces but her subjective assessment of these choices.".
__________________

These are serious issues to address , but I don't agree with quote from Catherine McKinnon about all (adult) pornography

And this quote from Catherine Mckinnon-
"Pornography is the perfect preparation - motivator and instruction manual in one - for sexual atrocities" Catherine McKinnon.

Personnally I think a much deeper discussion needs to take place on issues relating to sexuality rather than just demanding the eradication of all pornography and prostitution.

DM.

Some extracts from DSP ( Australia ) pamphlet on Pornography and Censorship

Sexual images can be both positive and negative. They can challenge the old stereotypes of women as passive and sexuality as dangerous, presenting instead erotic imagery of women's sexuality as pleasurable and active. Pornographic images can also represent violence, abuse and degradation.

How to deal with the two sides of sexuality and its imagery in today's society has been hotly contested among feminists. Is censorship of pornography the most effective strategy or does it only deal with the images and not the acts of violence directed against women? Or does censorship throw the baby out with the bathwater — sweeping away positive explorations of sexuality through the imposition of a new repressive morality and bolstering the campaigns of the traditional conservative opponents of women's liberation?

..........Both Dworkin and MacKinnon have also argued that women who participate in or enjoy pornography or have heterosexual sex are brainwashed or programmed into these activities by men. In order to maintain this view they have to virtually obliterate the idea that women are active agents in the choices they make about their lives and their sexual activity. Dworkin and MacKinnon instead reinforce the idea of women as victims, as passive and helpless, needing to be guided into an understanding of the "errors of their ways" by those who "truly" understand the nature of sexuality.

.............Arguing against censorship of pornography does not mean condoning, ignoring or de-prioritising campaigns around the often violent and usually misogynist portrayal of women in capitalist society. We have a responsibility to counter in the most effective way images which are exploitative and sexist — not by seeking to have them banned, but by initiating a much more wide-ranging debate about sex; by campaigning for better sex education in schools; and by creating more informed and responsible social attitudes to the expression of sexuality.

However if we are going to effectively fight sexism we can't just focus on sexually explicit portrayals of women. The establishment media, advertising, education system and other institutions, as well as the right-wing moralists who also campaign against pornography, all reinforce women's traditional roles. All objectify and degrade women.

..........We need an analysis of violence that empowers women, not one that reinforces the view that women are inherently powerless, timid, non-aggressive and submissive. Feminism should be a critique of this society, of a society that promotes violence against women in many forms, not a blame-the-indvidual, knee-jerk reaction that looks to the capitalist state for the solutions. Instead, we need a mass, feminist movement that allies itself with all those fighting the system of social relations which perpetuates violence, competition and oppression.
link to full document -
http://www.dsp.org.au/dsp/porno.htm

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What's The Harm?

Big Brother or essential anti-exploitation measures? – SLLU member Ledoof Constantineau gives her considered view on the Second Life sexual violence debate.

What's the harm? It's a question debated endlessly on Second Life forums and blogs* concerning content and activities inworld that many find disturbing in their potential implications, and others defend resolutely lest the community become, in their eyes, a big brother state. There can be few who have wandered this brave new virtual world without coming upon, intentionally or otherwise, sexualised child avatars, profiles displaying membership for 'rape fantasy' groups, or women in slave poses speaking (when spoken to..) in the third person. As a feminist with a background working in the anti violence against women and children sector, I am firmly in the camp harbouring concerns, and decided to investigate for myself some of second life's more infamous settings.

I spent one day teleporting around hard alley, Gor locations, clubs and other related areas and took snapshots of some of what I found; adding sceenshots of various groups, and profiles, and adverts of interest and relevance. The images are now collated together in an exhibit of sorts and have been added to since then as I, and other people working on the project, have come across more and more content whose main themes seem to be misogyny and abuse of power.

But where is the harm in pixels engaging in what appears to be consensual role-play? It is here that we must revisit longstanding debates on pornography and censorship, as well as examining emerging opinions on Second Life itself (and other virtual worlds). Dutch psychologist Jos Buschman, has been widely quoted recently after stating that second life is "by definition, a school for paedophiles"*. The Home Office in the UK has produced a consultation document investigating potential harm and legislative action around 'non photographic visual depictions ' of children being abused, It states:
"..Police and children’s welfare groups report an increase in interest in these images..(and).. are concerned that these images could fuel the abuse of real children by reinforcing abusers' inappropriate feelings toward children. These images, particularly as they are often in cartoon or fantasy style format, could be used in 'grooming' or preparing children for sexual abuse."*
Second Life, and potentially other virtual worlds, allow the fantasy of pornography to be taken one step further by allowing users to actively participate in that fantasy, and, provides a community of other like-minded people who validate and reinforce that the fantasy is ok. The Save The Children Europe Group position paper on child pornography and internet related sexual exploitation of children reports that,
"..Research has.. shown that some sex offenders will overcome their own internal inhibitors by viewing child pornography. There is some material which suggests that one of the most critical functions of child pornography is as reinforcement and justification of the will to abuse. This contradicts the discredited 'cathartic hypothesis' used to suggest that the use of child pornography will help potential abusers control their urges.."*

Those wishing to role-play child sexual abuse scenarios have found themselves a safe haven in which to operate. There are groups (Candence elementary school - 262 members, Indafamily - 133 members, Hard Alley Family Fun - 60 members, Daddys Toy - 68 members, Gothic Lolita - 476 members, School Girls Gone Bad Detention Home - 1099 members, to name a few) in which members harbouring such fantasies can have contact with each other, and locations (Wonderland in Nemo, Playfair Mansion. Daddy's Darlin’s) which have children’s bedroom designs and sex and torture pose balls within where the role play scenarios can be enacted. If part of training for soldiers can be to utilise immersive MMORPG'S, partly to desensitize and prepare for violent acts, then what is the potential impact of immersion in role-play and abuse fantasy scenarios?








"Pornography is the perfect preparation - motivator and instruction manual in one - for sexual atrocities" Catherine McKinnon




It is beyond the scope of this short article to do justice to the debate on pornography, but if one is inclined to share the point of view of Catherine McKinnon and others (and I do), then the proliferation of violent pornography and associated groups and activities within Second Life becomes, frankly, terrifying in it's potential implications for harm. There is anecdotal evidence of women involved in Gor, for instance, who are, in addition to their daily online rituals of subjection to 'playful' sexual slavery and humiliation, forbidden to leave their PC unless given permission to do so by their 'master'. A BDSM 'master' on the official messageboard openly discussed his success in online training and how some trainees have become excellent slaves in their real lives, partly through his training. This person also talked of the several vulnerable young women in 'real life' who had dropped out of school, had alcohol and/or drug problems, but were now leading constructive lives under his control. The language of pornography (bitch, slut, whore) plays an integral role in reinforcing these fantasies of women, and children, as penis and male pleasure receptacles to be controlled; objects to be used and mastered. It is a language of overt woman-hating, and is both ubiquitous and conspicuous in Gor, in BDSM, in child sexual abuse role-play areas, in sex clubs, in groups.. Everywhere in Second Life. The late Andrea Dworkin, whose work has been central to feminist anti-pornography arguments, captured, for me, its essence and function with the following words.

"Contemporary pornography strictly and literally conforms to the word's root meaning: the graphic depiction of vile whore, or, in our language, sluts, cows (as in: sexual cattle, sexual chattel), cunts.. The methods of graphic depiction have increased in number and in kind; the content is still the same; the meaning is the same; the purpose is the same; the sexuality of the women depicted is the same; the value of the women depicted is the same..".

It is through pornography that the areas of Gor and BDSM and 'ageplay' (specifically child sexual abuse roleplaying 'ageplay') and Dolcett (sexualised cannibalism of women) and Hard Alley's 'rape fantasists' are linked. The audience and particpants for each may differ, the backstories and pseudo-intellectualising justifying each may vary, but they speak the same language and the fantasies are centred around abuse of power. The language takes on more importance, perhaps, in a virtual world environment, where physical harm is not present (but could be should the relationship enter first lives..) but rather emotional and psychological harm, manipulation and abuse, and in some cases, indoctrination into a particular-mind set and way of being.







Consent and choice have been central notions in debates around wider commercial sexual exploitation of women and children (pornography, prostitution, lapdancing, trafficking and so on), and are at the forefront too, with regards Second Life. Both concepts are intertwined, and, as Robert Jensen, in his book 'Getting Off: Pornography and the End of Masculinity' notes,
"A meaningful discussion of choice can't be restricted to the single moment when a woman decides to perform in a specific pornographic film but must include all the existing background conditions that affect not only the objective choices she faces but her subjective assessment of these choices.".
We do not know the histories of those who engage in say, a rape role play scenario which ends with their avatar being mutilated and murdered (a scenario outlined by a poster in a messageboard debate), but it seems quite a stretch to agree that this is somehow sexually liberating for women.

The campaign to 'Keep Second Life Free' and 'united protest' are organised and highly visible; their aim to keep second life unrestricted in its content and activities (I came across posters mainly in Gor, BDSM, ageplay, Dolcett, Rape, 'extreme' sex etc areas). Who are we keeping SL free for? Whose interests are being served? Is real freedom the unyielding propagation of sexist, women-hating, violence and abuse ridden fantasy fodder?
My favourite snapshot was taken at a Gorean brothel. Outside the front door was the keeping SL free poster, and, by it's side, a shackling post for kajira (female slave)'Camper Slut' to be trussed up and displayed..

References:

1 Keeping SL Safe Together
http://blog.secondlife.com/2007/05/31/keeping-second-life-safe-together/

Slave Debate
http://forums.secondlife.com/showthread.php?t=192120

Gor Debate
http://forums.secondlife.com/showthread.php?t=196812

2 Libbenga, Jan, 'The Register' online magazine (21/2/07)

3 Home Office UK ( 2007) http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/cons-2007-depiction-sex-abuse?version=1

4 Save The Children Europe Group: Position Paper on Child
Pornography and Internet Related Sexual Expoloitation of
Children (2004)

5 McKinnon, Catherine - source text unknown

6 See 1

7 Dworkin, Andrea, 'Pornography: Men Possessing Women"
(1994 edn)

8 Jensen, Robert, 'Getting Off: Pornography and the End of
Masculinity' (2007)

"..(research).. virtually unanimously shows that exposure to sexually violent material increases the likelihood of agression toward women..(and).. the available evidence strongly suggests the hypothesis that substantial exposure to sexually violent materials.. bears a causal relationship to antisocial acts of sexual violence... report also found that non-violent but degrading pornographic material produced effects similar to but not as extensive as those involved with non-violent pornography.."
Attorney General Commission on Pornography, US, 1986

Please note: This is a personal opinion from an individual SLLU member. We have published it in keeping with this blog's and our organisation's aim to represent and reflect a diversity of left opinions. The opinions contained within this article do not represent an SLLU group consensus, and the article is intended to provoke thought, debate, and further discussion. Please submit YOUR view to SLUL Revolution inworld or post replies to the blog piece.

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