The parliament will hold a porn summit with Scotland's leading experts.

Scottish Women Against Pornography - who believe there is a direct link between top shelf magazines and violence and abuse - have called for the clampdown.

The group's Catherine Harper said: "The message of all pornography is that women secretly wish to be raped and abused and enjoy the treatment they receive.

"We view pornography as sexual hatred in the same way racist material is regarded as incitement to racial hatred.

"There needs to be a change in legislation and an awareness campaign informing and educating people that it is not about taking their fun away.

"It is about providing a more equal society and a safer place for women and children."

The petition was heard by the equal opportunities committee, who will hold the summit on February 6.

They will hear from academics and sex abuse experts such as Ray Wyre.

The move follows the Executive's decision to force lap dancers to dance a metre away from their customers.

Elaine Smith, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, said: "We need to hear from academics who work in this field about whether they think pornography is harmful and how serious a problem it might be.

"We don't expect any of them to say it is a good thing so the next question will be what we can do about it. There are those who say it should be banned completely."

MSPs and experts will also look at restricting the sale of porn in newsagents and corner shops.

CATHERINE HARPER, of Scottish Women Against Pornography, said: "The law does not allow racial hatred and it should not allow sexual hatred against women either.

"I am encouraged by the political support our campaign is receiving and hopeful this might lead to change.

"Legislation will take time but parliament needs to hear the wealth of evidence of the links between pornography and violence.

"I have very high hopes that this problem is going to be tackled."

AVEDON CAROL, of Feminists Against Censorship, said: "Aside from the explicit civil liberties dangers, a ban won't achieve anything.

"It is actually going to create more crime and violence - what is the purpose of making people criminals?

"Researchers have tried to prove there is a link between pornography and sexual violence but none of them have really achieved that.

"All of the studies are flawed in some way - there really isn't any scientific evidence to justify a ban."

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MSPs to Consider Crackdown on Porn

The Scotsman, 12/19/06 - A Scottish Parliament committee is to consider a crackdown on X-rated films and magazines.

MSPs on Holyrood's equal opportunities committee are organising a summit to discuss with experts whether there is a link between pornography and violence. Labour backbencher Elaine Smith said the committee had a duty to investigate the issue. "I don't think we can ignore it any longer," she said.

And fellow Labour MSP Marlyn Glen added: "The safety of women should be a real priority and what we need is the political will to push that through."

The MSPs' move follows a petition to the parliament from Scottish Women Against Pornography calling for adult material to be classed as an incitement to hatred against women.

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