Combining pornography with education

HALIFAX – Could online pornography be an opportunity for education? A Nova Scotia woman thinks so.

Sarah Cresswell has put forth an idea to include educational information about safe sex, sexual consent and sex addiction on online pornography websites.

“I want to utilize pornography not just as a form of entertainment, but a form of education,” she said.

Cresswell started an online petition and hopes all three levels of government will support her idea.

“Wouldn’t it be an interesting idea if we could implement the same standards that casinos implement? How they offer information about addictions, if you have any questions or concerns.” she added.

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That idea of linking pornography with education isn’t that far-fetched, according to a Dalhousie University professor who teaches gender and women’s issues.

“Pornography is the educational material in our society about sex,” said Letitia Meynell. ” But the lessons are terrible lessons because too often they eroticize non-consent. They eroticize unequal power.”

However, there remains the question of whether any form of government could legally impose something like this.

David Fraser, a lawyer who specializes in internet and technology, says the idea runs into problems with freedom of expression.

“At the end of the day, is this well-intentioned? I have no doubt about that. Is this something that can be done under Canadian law? I have some serious questions about that.”

Cresswell admits the response to her petition has been mixed. However, she welcomes the debate and hopes her idea will spark more conversation.

“There is a lot of problems about sex here in Nova Scotia and we are starting to open up the conversations – we are starting to do that,” she said.

“But let’s just affect the whole industry … Let’s start opening up all the conversations and all the doors.”