Christian Network takes aim at proposed porn channel

If DSTV went ahead with plans for a channel featuring pornographic content, it would be like pouring fuel on the “fires of sexual abuse and exploitation”, the Christian Action Network network said on Thursday.

CAN international coordinator Taryn Hodgson said in a statement on Thursday that considering the high incidents of rape, child abuse and sexual violence against women, it was unacceptable for DSTV to be be considering a porn channel.

“Should DSTV introduce such a channel they would be supporting those that exploit, objectify and degrade women,” she said.

“Porn violates women’s constitutional rights to dignity and equality.”

Hodgson was responding to an article published in Die Burger which reported that MultiChoice, the provider of pay-television service DSTV, had been inundated with requests for a channel featuring adult content.

MultiChoice’s general manager Jackie Rakitla was quoted as saying: “At this stage we’re doing research to determine the extent of interest in porn, and we’re looking at the feasibility of implementing such a service.”

“Many who ignorantly believe that there is no evidence that porn is harmful have imbibed the lies of the porn industry,” Hodgson said.

These people had fallen for an industry, which with its massive financial resources, funded public relations firms to establish “anti-censorship lobby groups” with a “freedom of speech” argument.

“The family is the basic building block of society, and it is suicidal for any society to tolerate such an exploitative industry.”

“If such a channel is allowed, it will pour fuel on the fires of sexual abuse and exploitation,” Hodgson said.

CAN has urged its affiliates, who are DSTV subscribers, to fill in the channel’s online survey on the issue.

“Should DSTV go ahead with such a channel, the Christian Action Network will urge its affiliates to cancel their DSTV subscriptions,” Hodgson said.