News:

A tenth of 12 to 13-year-olds fear they are "addicted" to pornography, an NSPCC ChildLine survey has concluded.

One in five of nearly 700 youngsters surveyed said they had seen pornographic images that had shocked or upset them, researchers found. The charity also says that 12% of those surveyed said they had taken part in, or had made, a sexually explicit video. They tell ChildLine that watching porn is making them feel depressed, giving them body image issues, and making them feel pressured to engage in sexual acts.

Dame Esther Rantzen, ChildLine's founder said it was shocking that children as young as 11 are approaching the helpline with concerns about pornography. "Young people are turning to the internet to learn about sex and relationships," she said. "We know they are frequently stumbling across porn, often unintentionally, and they are telling us very clearly that this is having a damaging and upsetting effect on them. "Girls in particular have said they feel like they have to look and behave like porn stars to be liked by boys."

Comment:

Western society has defined pornography as empowering and a true marker of female expression and liberation, hence its rabid spread and ease of access. The reality is that it's an abomination, posturing to serve male lust, the ultimate in a perverse objectification.

The fact that children as young as 11 years old are addicted to it, proves not only the evil nature of pornography and its ability to corrupt even a pure soul; but also how freely available it has become, via smartphones in particular, making it almost impossible to regulate by parents. The devaluing and near dehumanizing of women is inciting all manner of violence against women, in the home, workplace and even rapes at school by children as young as 9!

The billion-dollar entertainment and advertising industries, as well as the massive beauty and fashion industries have objectified the woman to a completely unrealistic, narrow, superficial image; one of a sexual commodity who's worth is economically quantifiable. Such exploitation is inevitable under the Capitalist ideology, which by default will always prioritize profit making regardless of the consequences.

Liberalism and the free market have enabled the view and worth of women to become a deformed concept, where soaring rape statistics bare witness to a near post apocalyptic nightmare. Feminist Robin Morgan said, "Pornography is the theory, rape is the practice". In the US a woman is raped every minute and the Times of India reported NCRB records of ninety-three rapes every day, and an increase of nine thousand rapes between 2013 and 2014. Considering unreported incidents, the actual numbers are estimated to be at least double.

It is a fact that true empowerment of women can only be guaranteed through the holistic implementation of Islam via the Khilafah "Caliphate" system where the predominant view will be the societal view of women; one enshrined and shaped only by the Ahkaam Sharia, which fully supports and encourages the need and role of women in education, business and work, as well as homemakers, who literally stabilize the community from inside out, via their roles as mothers, teachers, and through support networks they can influence. The value of women will be based upon her intellect and character, as oppose to her physical appearance. Our beloved Rasool Allah saws said,

«الدُّنْيَا مَتَاعٌ، وَخَيْرُ مَتَاعِ الدُّنْيَا: الْمَرْأَةُ الصَّالِحَةُ»

"The world and all things in it are precious, and the most precious thing in the world is a virtuous woman." (Muslim).

This high status is further ensured by removing the sexual element from society and restricting it to the personal and private life via the ahkaam of hijab, segregation of the sexes and the prohibition of taking work or any role which sexually exploits the woman such as advertising and pornography.

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Maleeha Hasan