Operation Spanner, S&M and ritual abuse

Bugs ****ing Bunny · July 14, 2003, 17:00

notyoueither asked about these in the Birmingham 6 thread. I thought they deserved a thread of their own, just to give an example of what happens to civil liberties in a climate of moral intolerance.

Operation Spanner kicked off at the end of the 1980's, when Thatcherite values were at their height. Put simply- anyone differing from the property-owning, employed middle-class norm was considered suspicious. Unionists received their kicking early on. They were quickly followed by travellers and gypsies, labelled as "worse than medieval brigands" in Parliament simply because they pursued a non-conformist lifestyle, and brutalised at the Battle of the Beanfield. Gay rights activists then were hit by Section 28, placing legal restrictions of "promotion of a homosexual lifestyle".

So who was next? How about weirdos and perverts?

"Mr Sebastian" (real name Alan Oversby) was a tattooist and piercer. Body piercing is considered nothing special these days, but back in the 1980's it was a different matter. I first saw a pierced tongue in 1987 and I was genuinely amazed by it. In the mid 1980's only a few adherants of the performance art scene and S&M scene were into genital piercing, though it was just starting to cross over into the more adventurous areas of the gay community. Mr Sebastian was one of the piercing pioneers, and like any professional he kept records.

One day he was raided by the police, who took his records, and started raiding the names listed in it. Unsurprisingly, some were S&M fans who had been unwary enough to film themselves in acts of sadism/masochism. Charges were eventually brought against 16 men, including Mr Sebastian. They were portrayed as being members of a secret society of perverts, despite the fact that most of them had never met each other.

As far as the defence was concerned, the case was a joke. Everyone involved in the S&M acts had been a consenting adult, and no participant had received any lasting injury, or anything requiring medical attention. Bruises, abrasions and some mild cuts were the order of the day. However their defence was rejected by Judge Rant, on the grounds that nobody can consent to an assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Jail sentences were handed out, up to 4 years. The case went to appeal, where sentences were reduced but Lord Lane extended to ruling on consent to mean that any form of bodily harm inflicted in a sexual context is a criminal offence. No lovebites, no fingernail scratches, no spanking.

Of course, good and healthy pursuits were specifically exempted. One can maim or kill others on the Rugby pitch or Boxing ring and face no charges. A parent can beat a child with no fear. However if an assault forms part of an act of love, it's a crime. That goes for piercing too- if it's for purely decorative purposes, it's OK, but if there are any sexual connotations (both from the act of piercing itself, or use of the jewellery afterwards) then both the piercer and piercee are criminals.

3 men served jail terms. Mr Sebastian received a 15 month suspended sentance purely for carrying out his profession as a piercer. Most of the men lost their jobs, had their lives turned upside down, due to acts between consenting adults that caused no lasting harm.

Bugs ****ing Bunny · July 14, 2003, 17:01

In 1992, things went really weird. Mr Sebastian had mixed with noted members of the more "adventurous" arts and music scenes- such as Genesis P Orridge (of Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV), Peter Christopherson and John Balance (of Coil), David Tibet (of Current 93) and the film director Derek Jarman.

In that year, the police raided the home of Genesis P Orridge, acompanied by a Channel 4 film crew from the documentary series "Dispatches". Their raid formed part of a film on Satanic abuse, in which footage was shown that purported to cover murder, ritualistic torture and rape, forced abortions and infanticide. A female witness testified that Orridge had sacrificed her baby, whose body had been ritually eaten in an occult ritual. Members of various Christian action groups testified about how Satanic murders and occult torture was rife and claiming many such victims.

Genesis P Orridge was out of the country with his wife and children at the time of the raid- he was in Nepal helping Tibetan refugees. It was made very clear to him that on his return his children would be seized by Social Services. Unsurprisingly he stayed put. The others- Christopherson, Balance, Tibet and Jarman- were interviewed by police and hounded by the press. Their mail was opened and they were followed at all times- the toll was severe on Derek Jarman who was dying of AIDS at the time.

Within days, some new information came to light. Namely- it was all bollocks.

It turned out that the film of "Satanic murders" had actually been screened on TV by Channel 4 a few years earlier- they had actually funded it's production as part of a season celebrating avant-garde films. Most of the bloodshed was faked by Christopherson- the only genuine acts were some mild S&M and a sex scene between Orridge and his wife. The "star witness" was a severely disturbed woman who had ben implanted with false memories by a fundamentalist Christian sect- she had never given birth to child or been tortured.

An embarrassed Channel 4 backtracked frantically. No charges were ever brought- it just broke up Orridge's marriage and hastened the death of one of Britain's finest movie directors.

The relevance today? I look at it this way- whatever atmosphere of moral panic or fear is being foisted upon you, don't let it be used to erode your civil liberties. Most panics end up being revealed to be overrated, after all. Bear that in mind next time some politician argues that nice plastic ID cards will prevent terrorism.

Bugs ****ing Bunny · July 14, 2003, 17:03

So there you go. S&M- good thing, or Sick Filth That Must Be Stopped.

GePap · July 14, 2003, 17:07

On the issue of moral panicks, I greatly recommend Capturing the Friedman's, which is about an infamous sexual abuse case in NY state from 1988. Very good, and good fpor other reasons.

C0ckney · July 14, 2003, 17:36

not much else to say about the s&m case (which btw is r v brown and others (1993)), except to say that they appealed to the european court of human right which held that their human rights had not been breached.

on the subject of gypsies and travellers, they are very much like 'medieval brigands' and deserve any rough treatment they get (and a good deal more besides).

geeslaka · July 14, 2003, 18:32

I see nothing wrong with S&M.
Other people think I'm just accident prone.

Proteus_MST · July 14, 2003, 18:49

Somehow I feel carried back into witch hunts of medieval times after reading the first two postings.
Incredible, that a western goverment took part in this still in the 80s and 90s.
I would have expected such a behavior rather in the 60s

Nubclear · July 14, 2003, 18:59

If two consenting adults, willingly and knowingly, wish to harm each other for sexual pleasure, they should be allowed to.

Zylka · July 14, 2003, 19:02

This is f*cking awesome

I saw an episode of "KINK" last night on Showcase. It had two men in a porn studio masturbating, then they stuck thick metal rods into their urethras while erect. That is the kind of thing I love seeing, and hope to often pass by on channel 32 while watching white conformist television. "WOW, THIS IS TOTALLY WILD!"

Oh, and there was also a caring section on this f*cking butch with a wimpy little b*tch of a "pet" - she even presented him a collar and explained that he has to put it on because "she owns him"

These people were filmed in Toronto, so I hope to find their studios and exercise my own right to twist smashed bottles of gasoline in their collective face. SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE THESE PEOPLE A GOVERNMENT GRANT TO MAKE MORE ART!!!

Zylka · July 14, 2003, 19:05

Oh and there was a lot of SPANKING. Men spanking men. I thought it was campy and taught me a lesson

...a lesson in SPANKING ANOTHER MAN ON TELEVISION while his penis gets hard from the pain.

Nubclear · July 14, 2003, 19:07

I predict a......VACATION in your future, Zylka!

ZyPrExA

st_swithin · July 14, 2003, 19:10

Hey, how come nobody accused the cast of Fight Club of being gay or perverted? That looked like a bunch of blokes beating each other up with their erections, and it was as much a 'love story' as 'True Romance'.

Zylka · July 14, 2003, 19:11

I'm not joking, I saw all of this on my television. On f*cking channel 32, produced with financial aid of my government. PROUD to be Canadian!

[size= 4]pride[/size]

[size= 5]Pride[/size]

[size= 6]PRIDE[/size]

DinoDoc · July 14, 2003, 19:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Zylka
PROUD to be Canadian!

How dare you question Toronto?!?!

KrazyHorse · July 14, 2003, 19:15

Quote:

Originally posted by Zylka
This is f*cking awesome

I saw an episode of "KINK" last night on Showcase. It had two men in a porn studio masturbating, then they stuck thick metal rods into their urethras while erect. That is the kind of thing I love seeing, and hope to often pass by on channel 32 while watching white conformist television. "WOW, THIS IS TOTALLY WILD!"

Oh, and there was also a caring section on this f*cking butch with a wimpy little b*tch of a "pet" - she even presented him a collar and explained that he has to put it on because "she owns him"

These people were filmed in Toronto, so I hope to find their studios and exercise my own right to twist smashed bottles of gasoline in their collective face. SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE THESE PEOPLE A GOVERNMENT GRANT TO MAKE MORE ART!!!

Kink:

There's nothing better than telling your girlfriend to turn the TV to channel 40 over the phone and hearing a shriek of disgust emanate immediately from the other end.

KrazyHorse · July 14, 2003, 19:16

BTW, the first couple of seasons of Kink were filmed in small-town BC. I don't know where the current season's being filmed.

Asher · July 14, 2003, 19:18

You know too much...

Zylka · July 14, 2003, 19:19

Honestly though

KrazyHorse · July 14, 2003, 19:20

I can honestly say I never felt any sexual arousal whatsoever while watching it. That's partly due to the fact that the fetishes being displayed were far, far, far out of my league, and partly due to the fact that they deliberately found the ugliest people in Canada to take part.

Zylka · July 14, 2003, 19:58

[size= 8]DRESS ME UP IN RHINESTONE LEATHER AND PUNCH ME IN THE FACE.[/size]

Sikander · July 14, 2003, 20:06

Quote:

Originally posted by st_swithin
Hey, how come nobody accused the cast of Fight Club of being gay or perverted? That looked like a bunch of blokes beating each other up with their erections, and it was as much a 'love story' as 'True Romance'.

Your skills as a movie reviewer are vastly overrated.

Sikander · July 14, 2003, 20:07

Quote:

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
I can honestly say I never felt any sexual arousal whatsoever while watching it. That's partly due to the fact that the fetishes being displayed were far, far, far out of my league, and partly due to the fact that they deliberately found the ugliest people in Canada to take part.

Hey, they were just hitting their stride.

st_swithin · July 14, 2003, 20:10

Well, it's a good thing I've never purported to be a movie reviewer. I didn't realise that in order to mention a movie, one had to be an acclaimed critic of some sort.

I'll take myself to the layman's forum, I suppose, and leave the PROFESSIONALS to yourselves. Sorry for lowering your standard of acceptable movie criticism!

Zylka · July 14, 2003, 20:13

The point here is of absolute confusion in where your homoerotic Fight Club assertations came from.

Oh, and isn't Tyler durden so much funner a guy than what's his name?!?! Wouldn't you just love to lean against his chest and kiss those lips?

Q Classic · July 14, 2003, 22:20

you know, if it's between consenting adults, and doesn't directly affect me, i don't give a ****, and i can't understand why anybody else would.

Sikander · July 14, 2003, 22:24

Quote:

Originally posted by st_swithin
Well, it's a good thing I've never purported to be a movie reviewer. I didn't realise that in order to mention a movie, one had to be an acclaimed critic of some sort.

I'll take myself to the layman's forum, I suppose, and leave the PROFESSIONALS to yourselves. Sorry for lowering your standard of acceptable movie criticism!

Sorry if I offended (well not that sorry!), I just made King today and it's gone to my head.

Dis · July 15, 2003, 00:25

I'm okay with S&M

in fact, I would like to be the sadist part of the S&M

okay that is too much information. seriously that stuff doesn't interest me much. All the leather and whips I find hilarious. It is very difficult to take that stuff seriously. but there are a few sexual positions that I do like, and wouldn't mind trying out...

KrazyHorse · July 15, 2003, 00:28

There was a bit of homoerotic undertone in Fight Club, but not overt (like that other guy is saying)

More along the lings of an adlescent crush thingie.

Sikander · July 15, 2003, 00:37

Quote:

Originally posted by KrazyHorse
There was a bit of homoerotic undertone in Fight Club, but not overt (like that other guy is saying)

More along the lings of an adlescent crush thingie.

The one line I remember that might have alluded to that was something like:

"We're a generation of boys raised by women. Sometimes I wonder whether another woman is what we need."

For my part I know exactly where those words come from, and for me they carry no necessary connotation of homosexuality. "Durden" formed Fight Club for the same reasons that I joined the army or played sports. It was because I wanted to find my place in the world of men. My mother / the girlfriends that replaced her could in no way initiate me into that world, I had to do it for myself. I did, and I loved it. These days these forums are my fight club. I don't have many male friends who live around here anymore, so these forums allow me to converse with mostly men about subjects that are usually interesting to men. It helps me to cope with having a girlfriend and stepdaughter at home and a workplace where %70 of my coworkers are female. It gives me some balance in my life.

Dis · July 15, 2003, 00:39

%70 of your coworkers are female? you have to hook me up man

. I want to work there. I work mostly among men.