Pleasure V's Profit

Pole dancing pop stars, padded bras for pre-teens, adult women dressed as 'sexy schoolgirls': Parents, teachers and youth workers are increasingly expressing concern about the intense pressure on young people to look and behave in an overtly sexual manner. This concern is backed up by the growing body of research showing the damaging effects such pressure has on body-image, self-esteem and relationships.

'Pleasure vs. Profit', a short film from Zero Tolerance and the Women's Support Project, exposes the way that 'porn culture' has entered the mainstream. Young people, police and activists explain how porn industry norms of aggressive male sexuality and passive, objectified women have entered nearly every aspect of our culture, and the risks to young people this entails.

Aimed at parents, carers and professionals working with young people, the film demonstrates not just the risks of porn culture, but the potential for resistance and the possibility of reclaiming healthy, respectful, consensual sexuality and relationships for the young people of Scotland.

A comprehensive information pack, produced by the Women's Support Project with support from Zero Tolerance, runs alongside the DVD and provides ideas on how to use the film to explore the issues with young people and challenge porn culture.

Pleasure vs. Profit was launched on the 21 June 2011, and was Funded by Awards for All and the Scottish Community Foundation.

Women's support project are pleased to launch a new free series of short information booklets on different aspects of sexual exploitation. These are for parents and workers for background reading and for supporting discussions with young people.