The ban is one of several that have been proposed by the government, including last year’s criminalisation of material depicting women being choked. Photograph: Tero Vesalainen/AlamyView image in fullscreenThe ban is one of several that have been proposed by the government, including last year’s criminalisation of material depicting women being choked. Photograph: Tero Vesalainen/AlamyPorngraphy depicting sex acts between stepfamily members banned in UKAmendment calling for step-incest to be included in ban on harmful content tabled by Conservative peer Gabby Bertin
The government has agreed to ban the production of porngraphy depicting sex acts between stepfamily members following a vote in the House of Lords.
An amendment calling for step-incest to be included in a ban on harmful content was tabled by Conservative peer Lady Gabby Bertin, who led a review into pornography regulation that was published last year.
The ban is one of several that have been proposed by the government, including last year’s criminalisation of material depicting women being choked.
Some ministers had opposed the amendment being added and suggested that the new ban would have been difficult to implement, due to the fact that, under British law, it is not illegal for people who are step-related to engage in a sexual relationship, as long as both participants are adults.
Speaking after the ban was agreed, Bertin said: “I greatly welcome the government’s plans to fully address harmful pornographic content such as incest, step-incest and the mimicking of child sexual abuse.
“This content that is freely and widely available online is deeply harmful, normalising child sexual abuse and abusive relationships within families.
“Today the government has answered our calls for change, and I am delighted that once again the UK is leading the way on regulating this high harm industry.”
View image in fullscreenGabby Bertin’s amendment was passed in Westminster on Friday by a single vote. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The GuardianBertin’s amendment was narrowly passed in Westminster on Friday, with a vote share of 144 in favour to 143 against. Once the law comes into effect, anyone found to posses or publish pornography which shows incest between family members or sex between step or foster relations where one person is pretending to be under-18 will be criminalised, with publication carrying a maximum penalty of between two and five years’ imprisonment, depending on the on how severe the content is found to be.
Alex Davies-Jones, the minister for victims and tackling violence against girls, said: “I’ve sadly heard far too many devastating stories from victims and I know we need change now.
“Tackling violence against women and girls within a decade will take every single one of us. We have been clear that vile online pornography has real-life consequences for all of us and I’d like to thank every brave campaigner who has worked with us to deliver this vital step.”
She added: “Today we are sending a powerful message: we will stamp out misogynistic and harmful content online and create a safer world.”
The bans coincide with the government announcing their intention to table an amendment to the crime and policing bill, which would hold tech bosses personally accountable if websites run by them or their companies fail to remove intimate images of people that have been uploaded without their consent, sometimes referred to as “revenge porn”.
Under this amendment, senior tech figures who have been made aware of none consensual sexual materials on their websites could face large fines, imprisonment or both if they do not act to remove without good cause.
Technology secretary Liz Kendall said: “Too many women have had their lives shattered by having their intimate images shared online without consent.
“This government is uncompromising in our mission to protect women and girls online, and we have taken action to stop tech firms from publishing this abusive content.
“In February, we told platforms that they must remove reported non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours. Now we are going further by introducing measures meaning that senior tech executives could be criminally liable if their companies fail to act when required to do so by Ofcom.
“Protecting women and girls online is not optional, it is a responsibility that sits squarely with every tech company’s leadership.”
