MEP urges study of sexual behaviour of men

A SWEDISH MEP called for a study into the reasons behind the sexual behaviour of men, after a Parliament report found that 70% of the €400 million EU citizens spent on the Internet in 2001 went to porn sites.

Her report also found that the illegal sex industry is estimated to turn over more money annually than the total of all military budgets in the world about €8 trillion.

Marianne Eriksson said the results would contribute to establishing "an appropriate sexual education programme" in all European Union countries.

Ms Erikkson is the author of a draft European Parliament report warning that globalisation has caused an explosion in the "sex industry." Internet access has put sex into every home and boosted the exploitation of women and the traffic in "sex slaves", it says. The report, drawn up by the Parliament's Committee on Women's Rights and Equal Opportunities, points out that 70% of the £252 million EU citizens spent on the Internet in 2001 went to porn sites.

Ms Erikkson, speaking in Brussels during a European Parliament public hearing on the impact of the EU sex industry, said: "Only a few years ago, if you wanted pornography and prostitution, you really had to look for it.

"Today we have to make an effort to avoid it. We come across sex for sale in our e-mails, in our mobile phones and on television on a daily basis. We have to stop this insidious invasion of the sex industry in our daily lives".

She said the battle was against a very wealthy and powerful industry, an industry which was quoted on several stock exchanges.

"Such a well-equipped industry can easily remain one step ahead of law makers, and can profit from existing gaps in the law, for example, in relation to internet and audiovisual policy."

"Pornography is often sexist, with stereotyped gender roles and a conservative, not to mention completely erroneous, view of women's and men's sexuality" it goes on.

The draft report's recommendations, which will be put to the European Parliament later this year, include a call to end to "sexist advertising", and a ban on the promotion of pornography and prostitution in hotels.

The report also demands a ban on sex businesses being quoted on the stock exchange in any European Union country.