The Consenting Adult Action Network (CAAN) is a grassroots network of individuals in the United Kingdom that was formed in 2008 to protest and oppose laws restricting activities between consenting adults, most notably the criminalisation of possession of "extreme pornography" under Section 63 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008.
History
editOn 14 June and 22 August, they attempted to seek advice on what material might be caught by the law.[1][2][3] They took a dossier of images to three major police forces, although none of them could yet say which pictures would be deemed illegal.[4]
On 21 October 2008, they organised a protest with Ben Westwood against the law on "extreme pornography".[5][6]
They were awarded "Specialists Website of the Year" by the London Gay Sex and Fetish Awards 2008.[7][8]
On 25 January 2009, the day before the law on "extreme pornography" came into effect, CAAN protested in London. They were supported by Backlash and The Spanner Trust. The protest was attended by Peter Tatchell.[9][10][11]
March 2010, CAAN announced they were to publish a book "Beyond the Circle: Sexuality & discrimination in heteronormative Britain" written by John Ozimek.[12]
Issues
editCAAN is concerned about several issues regarding consenting adults:[13]
- The law on "extreme pornography", since it criminalises possession of images involving consenting adults, including staged acts, and screenshots from legal films.
- Clauses in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 that ban people from working in jobs involving children or "vulnerable adults" if they possess "sexually explicit images depicting violence against human beings".[14] The government state that 11.3 million will have to register with the scheme,[15] although the number has been estimated by others at over 14 million.[16]
- As of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, sexual images of 16- and 17-year-olds are treated as child pornography, even though the age of consent remains at 16 (CAAN states it has no interest in tinkering with the age of consent, however they believe this change in the law to be "misguided and disproportionate").[13]
- Government plans to criminalise prostitution.
- Plans to recategorise lapdancing clubs as "sex encounter" establishments.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Jane Fae (19 June 2008). "Do you know how much of your porn is extreme?". The Register.
- ^ "Beware the kinky porn ban! We still can't get advice". Consenting Adult Action Network. Archived from the original on 25 January 2009. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
- ^ Jane Fae (29 August 2008). "Erotic artist urges spanking for Jacqui Smith". The Register.
- ^ "Battle lines drawn over Bill to ban 'extreme' porn". Belfast Telegraph. Belfast, Ireland. 31 December 2008. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
- ^ "Porn protesters hit Westminster". BBC News. 21 October 2008. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
- ^ Jane Fae (22 October 2008). "Government tied in knots by bondage protest". The Register.
- ^ "London Gay Fetish Awards 2008". Archived from the original on 9 December 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2008.
- ^ "News - CAAN - Consenting Adult Action Network". www.caan.org.uk. Archived from the original on 18 December 2008. Retrieved 7 December 2008.
- ^ Jane Fae (26 January 2009). "Deviants, perverts, 'weirdos' - who's going down?". The Register.
- ^ "Extreme Pornography News: Latest". www.melonfarmers.co.uk.
- ^ "CAAN Action Notice". Consenting Adult Action Network. Archived from the original on 24 January 2009. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
- ^ "Beyond The Circle by John Ozimek". Consenting Adult Action Network. Archived from the original on 15 April 2010. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
- ^ a b "Issues - CAAN". www.caan.org.uk. Archived from the original on 17 December 2008.
- ^ "Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006". legislation.gov.uk.
- ^ "Millions must be on vetting list". BBC News. 2 June 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- ^ Jane Fae (14 July 2008). "Criminal record checks could hit over 14 million people". The Register.
External links
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