Articles
Age verification: Where do things stand?
After the Digital Economy Act passed in July 2017, implementation of age verification has been repeatedly delayed. We were initially told it would start being enforced in April 2018, but it was put back till the end of 2018. In November the Minister for Digital, Margot James, claimed that it will come into effect by …read more →
Britain’s Pornographer and Puritan Coalition
This is a cross-post from Notes on Liberty. Brexit isn’t the only ridiculous thing happening in the United Kingdom. In April, the British government is rolling out statutory adult verification for pornography websites and content platforms. This requires all adult content providers to have proof of age or identity for …read more →
Bristol University research into sex work in the UK
Two Backlash volunteers are participating in a regional meeting for the Bristol University research on sex work in the UK tomorrow. Backlash responded to this consultation in July last year; discussing the ways that criminalising sex work harms more marginalised workers and advocating for the decriminalisation of sex work as a …read more →
Pandora / Blake on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour
On February 11, 2019, Pandora / Blake, independent porn producer and spokesperson for Backlash, spoke on Woman’s hour to debate the implications of the the Crown Prosecution Service’s decision to liberalise the guidelines for interpreting the Obscene Publications with Prof. Rosa Freedman (University of Reading). You can listen to the …read more →
Obscenity law liberalised
This is a cross-post from my contribution to the Adam Smith Institute blog. Last week the Crown Prosecution Service published updated guidance for prosecutions under the Obscene Publications Act (1959). Legal campaigning has brought about a big change: the liberal tests of harm, consent and legality of real acts are …read more →
January consent workshop – Getting and Giving What We Want
We are delighted to announce that next week Felix and Blake will once again be facilitating a consent workshop in London. This is another opportunity to participate in the sold-out workshop held in October, which is being run again due to popular demand. Here’s what attendees from the previous workshop had to say …read more →
GETTING AND GIVING WHAT WE WANT – LONDON BASED CONSENT WORKSHOPS FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF A PARTICIPANT
Consent is an integral factor in almost everything we do, especially when considering sex and intimacy. Consent is often misunderstood as passive agreement, when in fact consent is a dynamic and active process. It seems that the consent workshops couldn’t have been developed at a better time, in light of …read more →
Consent workshop in London – Getting and Giving What We Want
Have you ever said yes when you meant no, or no when you meant yes? This event is for you. Backlash is producing a new consent workshop as part of our ongoing efforts to protect adult consent, especially in the BDSM and sex positive communities. Getting and Giving What We …read more →
Backlash submits written evidence to Home Affairs Committee Inquiry on Prostitution
Backlash has submitted expert evidence as part of a wide-ranging evidence base to the Home Affairs select committee’s inquiry into prostitution. Here is an excerpt: Our position is that criminal sanctions relating to consenting adult sexual activity should be lifted. This includes sexual activities that take place as part of a …read more →
Frankie Mullin on sex work and gentrification – 30th January
Frankie Mullin is one of the most informed and prolific journalists writing about sexuality in the UK today. In her work for Vice, the Independent, and the Guardian, she has challenged media myths around porn addiction and casual sex, and given a voice to sex workers and victims of sexual …read more →