Euro MPs `Too Scared` to Debate Internet Porn Explosion

Euro MPs were tonight accused of `bottling out` of a major debate on sex in the run-up to the euro elections. The European Parliament was supposed to be debating calls to crack down on the boom in unsolicited pornography via the Internet. A report compiled by Swedish MEP Marianne Eriksson warned that globalisation has caused an explosion in the sex industry. She wanted backing from tomorrow`s planned debate in Strasbourg for an official study into `the reasons behind the sexual behaviour of men`. Her report only narrowly made it through the Parliament`s Women`s Rights Committee earlier this month to reach the debating chamber. Then, on Monday, MEPs voted at the last minute to remove the item - `The Consequences of the Sex Industry in the EU` - from the agenda. Ms Erikkson said she was very disappointed about a missed opportunity to discuss the sex industry`s power and influence in Europe - but not surprised. Some MEPs had `bottled out` she said, adding: `I have still to understand what was it that frightened them so much. `Were they afraid to look divided before the elections? Did this fear drive them to hide their heads in the sand while the sex industry profiteers on the misery of enslaved women and children? Is this the best we can offer our electorate?` Before the report was scuppered, Ms Eriksson said the results of her study would contribute to establishing `an appropriate sexual education programme` in all EU countries. Internet access has put sex into every home and boosted the exploitation of women and the traffick in `sex slaves`, said the report. It pointed out that 70% of the £252million which EU citizens spent on the Internet in 2001 went to porn sites. The illegal sex industry is estimated to turn over more money annually than the total of all military budgets in the world - about five thousand billion pounds (£5,000billion). `Pornography is often sexist, with stereotyped gender roles and a conservative, not to mention completely erroneous, view of women`s and men`s sexuality` said the report. It called for an end to `sexist advertising`, a ban on the promotion of pornography and prostitution in hotels, and a ban on sex businesses being quoted on the stock exchange in any EU country. Now none of those demands will be pursued by MEPs - and Ms Eriksson is not standing for re-election to the European Parliament in the June poll. She still thinks serious social problems driven by the sex industry - the exploitation of women and children, increasing numbers of sex slaves being trafficked into Europe, and the massive increase of unsolicited pornography on the Internet - must be tackled. Her report has one last gasp before its demise: Ms Erikkson has been invited to present it to a joint conference of national MPs and MEPs in Dublin on May 19: `I am optimistic that the conference may take the report a little more seriously than it has been taken in the European Parliament` she said.