The new aggression of war and pornography
Symbolic image
War itself is a naked monster. Its bloodshot eyes, sharp claws and sharp teeth have made people across the world displaced and uprooted for centuries. Reports in the media suggest that Ukraine, cornered by the prolonged and devastating war, may now turn to pornography to help cover the costs of the war. The country has begun considering imposing taxes on such sexual images and using the revenue to support its military spending.
They have been burning in the fire of war with Russia for a long time. They are spending huge amounts of money on weapons, ammunition, mercenaries and especially modern military equipment such as drones. The government budget deficit has also added to the burden. The government in the capital Kyiv therefore appears to be seeking to become more active in efforts to collect additional revenue.
There are few examples in the history of war where the nakedness of one war seeks shelter under the covering of another kind of nakedness. Although the psychological relationship between war and pornography cannot simply be reduced to a single concept, there remains an opportunity to view war as a form of pornographic aggression in terms of aggression itself. In pornography, a person, whether a woman or a man, is turned into an object to satisfy or stimulate desire. The same concept fits into the same pattern in a different way in war. The opposing side is not viewed as human. They become targets of attack. If the enemy cannot be turned into an object, killing them becomes psychologically difficult.
Russia’s aggression and Ukraine’s resistance war can be interpreted in different ways. In the end, however, the psychology of establishing dominance operates in both pornography and war. If Ukraine ultimately turns adult pornography into a taxable and regulated industry on the grounds of financing the war, the psychological forces of two forms of domination will engage in a different war to establish their respective positions.
The proposal to impose taxes on pornographic images was put forward by opposition leader of the country, Yaroslav Zhelezniak. According to his calculation, if the proposal to bring this sexual industry into the framework of the regular economy is implemented, it could generate up to $25 million in revenue annually. With this money, nearly 30,000 military drones could be purchased.
The idea came to Zhelezniak from statistics from 2023. The figures showed that 7,900 Ukrainians earned more than $131 million in total from a Ukrainian pornography platform called OnlyFans.
There are very few examples of this kind in the history of war around the world. During World War II, the Japanese military introduced a system of forced sexual slavery known as “comfort women.” However, rather than collecting taxes, women were forcibly used as an instrument of war to defeat the opposing side. During World War II, the activities of sex workers in France were contrary to the idea of domination. They regularly paid registration fees and various local taxes to provide financial support for the war effort.
If Ukraine ultimately turns adult pornography into a taxable and regulated industry to cover the costs of the war, there is little doubt that the sex trade in Europe will open another new battleground. Governments in various countries may then begin considering bringing this sexual market under taxation rather than leaving it within an informal structure. Human trafficking and sexual exploitation will increase. The platforms for pornography will expand. The future of underage girls will become unsafe. Other countries at war in the future may begin choosing this method to finance the costs of war. The fires of one war waged by future warmongers will fuel another battlefield where shameless aggression will once again have the final word.
