12 NEW VISION, Wednesday, March 7, 2012 Comment Drugs: Multi-pronged approach needed Fight pornography OPINION he celebration of World consumption of pornography South African, Kathryne Fuller, was Women’s Day creates yet thus harms the entire society. last week sentenced to a fine of sh1m another occasion for us to There is a great need today Tevaluate the woman’s journey for counseling women who after she pleaded guilty to consuming towards regaining self-esteem and feel betrayed, hurt, frustrated, cocaine, an internationally restricted human dignity. and confused by pornography A Whereas much has been achieved, consumers. drug. Fuller consumed the drug with an Amer- researchers and religious leaders There is a need to educate men ican colleague, Jeffrey Rich. concur that women, today, are faced that engaging in pornography While Fuller was lucky to have been found with a counterproductive bombardment enhances selfishness and of secular ideals and influences. undermines their ability to relate unconscious and taken to hospital for urgent Issues such as pornography, the in a healthy way to women. medical attention, Rich was found dead! promotion of sexual promiscuity, Parents need to teach their Although Fuller recovered consciousness, lesbianism, abortion, and contraception children the truth about sexual she was taken to court in a wheelchair. Mean- are promoted through all forms of morality and the dangers of media to influence the social, mental Msgr John pornography in their lives. while, in the same court, Moses Kalanzi, the and moral wellbeing of women of all When a person commits oneself co-accused, was charged with unlawful pos- ages. Wynand Katende to the hard work of growing in session of narcotics, supplying and dispensing These lifestyles are contrary, not human and spiritual virtues, they only to moral and cultural values, Episcopal Vicar for Public usually experience much less restricted drugs, among other offences. but also to common decency and vulnerability to pornography. These are, but a tiny fraction of what is hap- common sense. Unfortunately, many Relations, Kampala Archdiocese Humanity must resist and pening in our midst. Drugs are a cancer that is women, pornographic promoters and condemn the evil of pornography consumers may either be aware of this always and everywhere. Women slowly but surely leading the youth, especially truth, but choose to ignore it, or are against woman! must resist the temptation to in urban centres, to an early grave. totally unaware. Pornography is a scourge at the core of sell their bodies into pornography under What is more frightening is that the con- Our subject is pornography. human existence. It militates against the cover of freedom of expression, self- Pornography is a process that institution of marriage by promoting lust assertion and making money. Women sumption of drugs is evolving from milder to dehumanises someone into something; a and eroding the conjugal relationship. celebrities should, in solidarity with more deadly ones. The consumption of drugs human being into a sex object for sexual The women men see in pornography men, use their platforms to advocate for by gullible youngsters is particularly disturbing pleasure. don’t seem to have feelings, needs and women issues. The State is duty bound In pornography, we literally see women opinions. When men leave their fantasy to protect its citizens against the scourge when it is glorified by local and international being manipulated for egoistic and world and meet a real woman who does of pornography by seriously legislating celebrities like musicians. sensual gratification of men. have emotions and opinions, they often against it. This manipulative process is expressed don’t know how to deal with her, and By commanding us not to commit through concrete scenarios, the ways in tend to withdraw due to insecurity or adultery, God wants to protect the he latest international victim is Whit- which women’s bodies are positioned overreact in anger. sacredness of the human body and of ney Houston. According to experts, and used. This perversion is believed to be more marriage. We are accountable to God over drugs are more addictive than alco- They use every attribute any woman has hurting, psychologically and spiritually, our bodies. We are to observe chastity hol. Most of the mentally disturbed and sexualise it. In the process, the victim than the traditional extra-marital affair. and modesty in thought, words, and T is made to feel inferior and dehumanised, Pornography accounts for the current actions and to avoid occasions of sin. patients at Butabika Psychiatric Hospital are controlled, less autonomous, less free and increase in compulsive masturbation, The same forbids pornography, drug addicts. less real. rapes, domestic violence and divorces. It, indecent dress, obscene speech, The pornography industry tends to rate likewise, accounts for the rapid spread of masturbation, fornication, pedophilia, The Police blame the drug bonanza on weak a “white woman” higher than a “black human trafficking, abortions, unplanned- incest, homosexuality/lesbianism and laws. In 2007, a Narcotic Drugs and Psychotro- woman”. It has become a very lucrative for babies, HIV/AIDS and other sexually bestiality. Together, let us promote the pic Substances Control Bill was drafted and business. Ironically, woman is being used transmitted diseases. Widespread culture of love and life. submitted to Parliament but to date, it has not been made into law. In some countries like China and Pakistan, drug trafficking and consumption are capital Human traffickers are in our midst offences. But legislation alone cannot bring t is a common belief that an these are females aged 15-30 years, the situation under control. Sensitisation must opportunity strikes once in a life 70% of whom are trafficked for sexual begin at home and schools must be particular- time and therefore if it knocks exploitation that constitutes a violation ly alert because many youngsters are victims Iat your door, without a second of human rights. Few women and thought, you have to grab it as soon as girls know that they are recruited for of peer pressure. The Police, religious leaders, possible before anyone else does. prostitution. politicians, teachers and parents must rise up Living and working of course with a There are more than 600 Ugandan well paying job would be everyone’s women in Malaysia, 300 in India but against the threat of drugs. wish but terms and conditions may be not limited to Thailand, China, Hong a hindrance. Better still, going abroad Kong, Indonesia U.A.E (Dubai and would be a dream come true for those Abu Dhabi), Iraq, Afghanistan, Egypt with the urge for quick wealth. Denmark among others. According to New Vision Perhaps this explains why Uganda UNICEF, a total of 1.2 million children has increasingly become a subject have also been trafficked for various UGANDA’S LEADING DAILY of human trafficking coupled with M. Atuhairwe reasons under the pretext of adoption. the high rate of unemployment and Police child protection unit In 2009, the Prevention of Trafficking under employment among the youth in Persons Act was enacted to curb this Editorial Tel: 0414 -337000/337139 especially fresh graduates. Other vice. According to the Act, a person P.O. Box 9815 Fax: 0414-235843, Kampala. factors include provision of cheap labour, receipt of persons by means of threat or who commits an offence of trafficking e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] ritual murders, sale of body parts like use of force or other forms of coercion for in persons commits an offence and is Marketing/Advertising Tel: 0414-337-000 kidneys and hearts which constitute an the purpose of exploitation. It’s estimated liable to imprisonment for 15 years, life Fax: 0414 -232050 e-mail: [email protected] act of human sacrifice. that between 600,000 and 800,000 imprisonment and may suffer death for Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC), Company Human Trafficking is the recruitment, persons are trafficked across national aggravated trafficking in persons where listed on the Uganda Securities Exchange transportation, transfer, harbouring or borders worldwide since 2003. 80% of the victim is a child. www.newvision.co.ug Do you have a different view to the above opinions? E-mail:[email protected]