The Deputy District Prosecutor is concerned by rising instances of severe violence in sexual encounters leading to prosecution. Recent court cases have ruled that individuals cannot assume prior consent to the use of violence during sexual acts, RÚV reports.
An increase in aggression and violence
Excessive consumption of pornography is widespread but remains a hidden societal issue, according to an individual who opened up about his long-term porn addiction on the investigative news programme Kastljós last week.
Yesterday, RÚV spoke to Deputy District Prosecutor Kolbrún Benediktsdóttir who has significant experience prosecuting individuals for sexual offences: “I believe we are witnessing an increase in aggression and violence regarding sexual crimes. This leads one to speculate whether this is linked to a rise in the consumption of pornography and escalating brutality in porn,” she stated. “That’s perhaps the only explanation that comes to mind, although we haven’t specifically investigated this aspect of it.”
When asked what kind of violence she was referring to, Kolbrún replied thusly: “It appears as if we’re seeing more instances where individuals are resorting to such violence as choking, hair-pulling, pinching, biting, slapping, and even punching during sex – and even instances where the perpetrators are surprised that the other party had not consented to such behaviour,” Kolbrún explained. “Which leads one to wonder whether, among a certain group of people, a distorted perception of sex and what constitutes consent has emerged.”
Kolbrún pointed to two recent rape cases in the District Court and Supreme Court where extreme violence was used: “And, in both cases, the court’s conclusion – which I contend is very positive – was that individuals cannot assume that when engaging in a sexual act, they have prior permission to use violence, as was the case in these instances.”
