Steven Hirsch Blasts Rick Santorum's Porn Stance

LOS ANGELESSteven Hirsch, founder and co-chairman of Vivid Entertainment, on Tuesday said that an anti-pornography argument by Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum is "ridiculous" and based on false data.

Santorum has called for vigorous enforcement of current anti-obscenity laws, arguing it causes brain damage, ruins marriages, leads to prostitution and sex trafficking, and "contributes to misogyny and violence against women."

"This is ridiculous and just plain wrong," Hirsch said. "None of his arguments holds up to scrutiny. For example the FBI, National Crime Victimization Survey, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other highly credible organizations have all reported a dramatic drop in rapes, teen pregnancies and sex crimes since 1991, when porn first became widely available on the Internet.

"The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) reported that between 1991 and 2009 the occurrence of rape in the U.S. dropped 86 percent, just one of many surveys that indicate sexual violence is declining rather than increasing as Mr. Santorum argues."

Hirsch continued, "I find it ironic that Mr. Santorum and some of the other Republican candidates claim to favor less government... except when it comes to issues like pornography, where they want Government to dictate what people can and cannot watch. Trying to ban an entertainment form that the U.S. Supreme Court has deemed to be protected is a hopeless task since no one can honestly make blanket judgments on what is obscene.

"People today are more comfortable than ever with adult content," Mr. Hirsch added. "If they choose to watch adult movies, it's their personal decision. We vehemently oppose laws regarding sexual conduct between consenting adults."

The industry exec concluded, "Thankfully we live in America and have a rational justice system. If by some chance Mr. Santorum were elected president and chose to increase prosecutions, we are confident that our industry would prevail. We believe that juries respect both free speech and freedom of expression. It's easy for a political candidate to attack our industry, but as everyone knows, pandering and policy are very different matters altogether."

Related:  

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Justices Alito, Thomas Invoke Victorian-Era Morality Law, Raising Censorship Concerns

Several national publications reported this week on widespread concern among Free Speech advocates after U.S. Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas repeatedly invoked during a hearing the infamous segregation-era law the Comstock Act, which was the cornerstone of U.S. censorship of sexual material from the 1870s until the 1970s.

TeamSkeet Releases 1st Installment of 'Ripe for the Taking'

TeamSkeet has released the first installment of its latest feature, "Ripe for the Taking," starring TeamSkeet March AllStar Scarlett Alexis.

Pineapple Support Taps Kasey Kei as Brand Ambassador

Pineapple Support has named veteran performer and content creator Kasey Kei as its latest brand ambassador.

Nebraska AV Bill Moves Forward Despite Privacy, Free Speech Concerns

Nebraska’s unicameral Legislature has given first-round approval to LB 1092, the state’s version of the age verification bills being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

Eva Maxim, Katrina Colt Headline 'Cumming to LA' From Cherry Kiss

Eva Maxim and Katrina Colt star with Vince Karter in 2021 XBIZ Europas Female Performer of the Year Cherry Kiss' "Cumming to L.A.," from Evil Angel.

Performers in Meta Blacklisting Lawsuit Seek to Preserve Antitrust Claims

Adult Performance Artists Guild board officers Alana Evans, Kelly Pierce and Ruby have informed a California court that, although they want to drop their lawsuit claiming that Meta conspired with OnlyFans to blacklist rival premium fan platforms’ talent, they may still pursue antitrust claims in the future.

Skylar Snow Headlines 'Infidelity 4' From Sweet Sinner

Skylar Snow toplines "Infidelity 4," the latest release from Mile High Media studio brand Sweet Sinner.

Serenity Cox Stars in 'Enjoy It' From MILFY

Serenity Cox stars with Alberto Blanco in "Enjoy It," from Vixen Media Group studio imprint MILFY.

Melissa Stratton Stars in Finale of Wicked's 'So Extra'

Melissa Stratton and Robby Apples star in the final scene from Wicked Pictures' "So Extra."

BiPhoria Drops Jim Powers' 'Saying GoodBi'

BiPhoria has released director Jim Powers' "Saying GoodBi."

Show More