A wide variety of things drop into the inbox – physical and
digital – of a headteacher. In the last week, I have come across two things
which, when placed next to each other, present such a dissonant combination
that I can’t help commenting.
Last week, a parent kindly sent me a link to an article in the
Daily Mail. Now, I don’t normally read the Mail, but this article (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2432591/Porn-pernicious-threat-facing-children-today-By-ex-lads-mag-editor-MARTIN-DAUBNEY.html) was
actually worth the attention. The former editor of Loaded magazine has
examined the extent to which young people are victims of the porn industry, and
he is horrified. The article also makes reference to neuroscience which seems
to suggest that use of pornography is addictive, at least for some people, in
the same way that some substances can be. According to the Channel 4
documentary, referred to by the article, young people are often bombarded by
porn via social networking websites, so much so that it is hard for them to
avoid tempting photographic links to porn on the internet.
And then, this week, I could hardly have missed the furore about
the rape scene in Downton Abbey. This event, which with the exception of a very
brief violent encounter involving a blow to the face, took place entirely
behind closed doors, has attracted a sufficient number of complaints to be
front page news. Remarkably the word rape hasn’t (yet) been used in the
programme – the viewers were expected to infer it from bruising to the face,
some ripped clothing (but no nudity at all) and evident emotional trauma.
How extraordinary a world it is that the routine exploitation of
women in today’s pornography industry should attract so little comment, while a
(fairly) serious examination of violence against women in history should be
seen as such a bad thing (even when shown after 9pm). All exploitation and violence
against women is profoundly wrong; pretending it didn’t happen in the past is
as dangerous as pretending it isn’t happening now. It did, and it does. Talking
about it, in families, and in school, is an essential part of giving young
people a chance to develop healthy attitudes, including a moral disgust of exploitation.
I have no idea what the demographic profile is of the complainants
to Ofcom. For my part, I have suggested that history lessons at our school make reference
to this controversy as part of their
consideration of the way in which women have been poorly treated by
cultures and ‘civilisations’ in the past, which should lead to a discussion of
how women are dominated, or exploited, in today’s society. And I will expect
pupils, male and female, to contribute honestly and forthrightly in these
discussions.
I consider it remarkable that some should consider that hushing up
wrongdoing in the past should be an appropriate way of educating young people, or pretending that 'bad things' didn't happen.
How foolish it would be to say that films like Schindler’s List, and books like
Charlotte Gray or The Boy in Striped Pyjamas should not make reference to the
Holocaust, because it is distasteful. Of course they should: these are the
mistakes of the past that we need to make sure our children do not repeat. That
requires serious examination. The head-in-the-sand approach won’t work.
