On 25 June 2026, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted almost unanimously the report on ‘Violent Pornography: a test for human rights’ by UEL rapporteur Laura Castel (ERC, Spain). This landmark resolution urges governments across Europe and beyond to take decisive action against the growing dissemination of violent and extreme pornographic content.
Rapporteur Laura Castel pointed out that “violence in pornography is not gender-neutral: it mainly targets women and girls, dehumanising them” and warned that “violent pornography erodes the principle of consent and poses a serious threat to women’s rights and children’s mental health, emotional and sexual development”.
The report is based on key findings from the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe, which the rapporteur requested via the Committee on Equality and Non-Discrimination. It examines: the balance between fundamental rights and freedoms relevant to violent pornography in the case law of European constitutional courts and international tribunals.
A central message of the report is that freedom of expression is not absolute: it can and must be restricted when it leads to dehumanization. States are legally empowered to limit violent pornography in order to protect health, morals, and the rights of others; and to prevent crime.
The resolution calls on member States to establish clear legal definitions of violent pornography in national legislation, and to prohibit its production, dissemination, hosting, and possession through criminal sanctions. Enhanced cross-border judicial and police cooperation, including via Interpol, Europol, and Council of Europe mechanisms is urged to aid investigations and prosecutions. Establishing common international terminology and classification systems is also recommended.
Online platforms hosting pornographic content must be held accountable, deploying effective age-verification systems, confirming age and consent of all individuals filmed, and removing violent or illegal material within 24 to 48 hours of notification by authorities. Platforms that knowingly spread illegal content should face strong sanctions. The resolution encourages the adoption of artificial intelligence, hash databases, and replica-detection technologies to identify, block, and remove violent content, including materials that resurface after deletion.
On education and prevention, the resolution recommends comprehensive, mandatory, age-appropriate sexuality education in schools, with an emphasis on consent, gender equality, and critical analysis of pornography. Media and digital literacy programs should equip young people to recognize and reject content that normalizes violence.
Finally, the resolution also insists on full enforcement of health, safety, and labor protections in the production of pornographic content. Participation must always be based on free, informed, explicit, and reversible consent, with performers having access to remedies. Victims of violent pornography, online sexual abuse, and non-consensual sharing of intimate content must be guaranteed immediate access to legal assistance, psychological support, protection measures, and accessible reporting procedures.
Rapporteur Laura Castel concluded: “During these two years drafting this report, we reached several points of consensus. Violent pornography constitutes a major human rights issue. The violence depicted primarily targets women and girls, and international organizations increasingly recognize its effects on gender equality, public health, sexual violence, and child development. Violent pornography is not merely a matter of freedom of expression or entertainment, it is a challenge to human rights. It is not harmless fiction; rather, it represents a systemic threat to gender equality, child protection, and public health. We must act, therefore, through a co-ordinated response to protect human rights for all.”
For more information, see PACE press release