Porno for Pedophiles?
Thought experiment:
Assume someday the VR sex-machine experience gets so good that pedophiles would prefer to have a virtual encounter with a child than a real one.
Should the software that generates these experiences be illegal to create? Own? Use?
Thoughtful answers requested in the comments section.
FAQ
Q: Children are still harmed even with a VR only encounter.
A: Assume that all the characters in the VR simulation are completely computer generated and synthetic. If this is the case, then who is hurt- and how?
Q: Having access to VR porn would stoke pedophiles to action and create more victims.
A: In this thought experiment we are stipulating that the VR porn is preferable to real life and would supplant it for some people. This is not a necessarily hypothetical conceit.
Q: Why would the software be illegal? It is just 1’s and 0’s.
A: Things can get legally non-intuitive around this issue.
Q: You sick fuck.
A: I am not a pedophile. Instead, I am interested in thinking and talking about ways to potentially reduce or eliminate the harm that they do.
MCC Theater produced an excellent play called ‘The Nether’ a couple years ago, taking on very similar issues. I’d recommend giving it a read or checking out a production if you’re able to sometime.
Woha, I guess the question is not as original (or as hypothetical) as I thought! I definitely do want to check this out. A particularly relevant headline from the play’s website…
Can Virtual Sex Prevent Pedophiles from Harming Children in Real Life?
Thank you for the pointer!
A sex therapist I know was telling me there was a recent study that found that age-based sexual roleplay was an effective therapeutic intervention for pedophiles — as in, it helped reduce their likelihood to victimize children.
I would assume that this sort of VR simulation would have the same impacts. If a person cares about the safety of children, they should care about having this sort of tool not only legal but tested and made available and easily accessible.