Pornography in Denmark

The first country in the world to legitimize pornography was Denmark in 1967. That year, the country legalized pornographic literature. Subsequently, on July 1, 1969,^[1] Denmark became the first nation in the world to legalize pictorial and audiovisual pornography,^[2] which helped further promote the Golden Age of Porn (1969–1984) in modern American culture, and later, in many other countries throughout the world.^[3]

People in Denmark have had free access to such materials ever since. There still are a few regulations: for example, pornography must be placed out of the view of children, and may not be sold to persons under the age of 15. The public TV channel Kanal København broadcast hardcore pornography free and uncoded at night, in the early 2000s.^{[citation needed]}

Prior to 2015, there were no specific restrictions against zoophilic pornography, and such affairs came under animal cruelty laws. If no harm or pain was inflicted on the animal, such acts were not illegal. This changed in late April 2015, when Denmark passed a new law, making sex with animals illegal.^[4] The earlier lack of legislation had allegedly made Denmark a center for the production of animal pornography.^{[citation needed]} This accusation, however, was dismissed as a myth by Det Dyreetiske Råd, a legal council, which, in November 2006, published an extensive report on the topic of animal sex.^[5]

Between 1969 and 1980, the Color Climax Corporation produced legal child pornography films.^{[citation needed]} Since 1980, child pornography has been illegal in Denmark.^[6] It is illegal to distribute photographic or video pornography of persons under the age of 18, although the age of consent in Denmark is 15.^{[citation needed]}

Further reading

• Morten Thing: Pornografiens historie i Danmark (Aschehaug, 1999)
• Berl Kutchinsky: Law, pornography, and crime: The Danish experience (Pax Forlag, 1999)

References

1. Staff (31 May 2019). "Denmark legalized pornography 50 years ago. Did the decision turn out as expected?". The Local. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
2. Francoeur, Robert T.; Noonan, Raymond J. (2004). "Denmark in the International Encyclopedia of Sexuality". International Encyclopedia of Sexuality. Archived from the original on 13 January 2011. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
3. DeLamater, John; Plante, Rebecca F., eds. (19 June 2015). Handbook of the Sociology of Sexualities. Springer. p. 416. ISBN 9783319173412. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
4. "Flertal for lovændring: Nu bliver sex med dyr ulovligt". TV2 Politik. TV2. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
5. Udtalelse om menneskers seksuelle omgang med dyr Det Dyreetiske Råd
6. Section 234 of the Danish Criminal Code (1969), reads whoever 'sells indecent pictures or objects to a person under 16 yrs of age' is to be punished by a fine. Section 235 (1980) has a special provision concerning the reproduction and sale of child pornography, that is, sexually explicit photographs of persons who appear to be under 15 years (the taking of such pictures was always a criminal offence).