The provided text argues that pornography consumption, particularly of violent pornography, has a detrimental impact on workplace culture. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
Pornography as Sexual Violence: The text asserts that contemporary pornography often depicts sexual violence, torture, adn degradation of real women and girls, masquerading as “sex.”
Link to Hostile Sexism: Higher pornography consumption among men is associated with “hostile sexism,” meaning negative views and attitudes towards women.
Support for Violence Against Women: Studies show a meaningful positive association between consuming violent pornography and attitudes that support violence against women. Impact on workplace Equality: Men who regularly view pornography tend to think negatively about women, viewing them primarily as sex objects. This makes them less likely to:
Work on an equal footing with women. Support female colleagues.
Promote women to managerial roles. Contribution to Hostile Work Environments: The dehumanization of co-workers, potentially fueled by pornography consumption, can lead to sexual harassment and create a hostile work habitat. This negatively impacts organizational productivity and can lead to expensive litigation.
Damage to Talent Acquisition and Retention: These attitudes can harm an institution’s ability to attract, develop, and retain talented women employees, especially if leaders engage in such behavior.
Employer responsibility: Businesses have a responsibility to protect workers from harm and cannot ignore the impact of pornography’s normalization.
Legal Obligations in Ireland: Under Irish law, employers must have comprehensive, accessible, and effective policies for prevention, best practice, and remedial action regarding sexual harassment and harassment. They also need an accessible complaints procedure.
Action Required Beyond Policy: Simply having a policy is insufficient; employers must implement it and take action if they become aware of issues, even without a formal complaint.
* Call to Action: The text concludes by urging people not to dismiss instances of pornography viewing at work or in public and to report them.
In essence, the text argues that pornography’s pervasive influence shapes negative attitudes towards women, which in turn undermines workplace equality, fosters hostile environments, and creates legal and operational risks for businesses.