Jennifer N. Fish

Bio: Jennifer N. Fish is an academic researcher from Old Dominion University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Human rights & Social change. The author has an hindex of 9, co-authored 17 publications receiving 293 citations. Previous affiliations of Jennifer N. Fish include Warren Wilson College.

Free Adult Internet Web Sites: How Prevalent Are Degrading Acts?

Abstract: Russell (Dangerous relationships: Pornography, misogyny, and rape, 1988) argued that essential features of pornography were the inclusion of more female than male nakedness and the portrayal of men in dominant roles. Utilizing a sample of 45 Internet adult web sites, a content analysis was conducted to see if free and easily available Internet adult videos may generally be described as pornography in line with Russell’s (1988) work. A majority of videos in our sample portrayed more female than male nakedness as well as much higher representations of men in sexually dominant positions. The prevalence of violence in this sample of video and the presence of various acts (name calling, ejaculating on the face, submission, and eagerness to participate in any sex act) were also content analyzed and used to establish prevalent themes. We found a significant difference in the likelihood of a video having a theme of exploitation or domination and whether or not the video portrayed one of these acts. If the video had a theme of exploitation or domination, 92% of the videos also included a minimum of one of these acts while those videos that had themes of reciprocity or autoeroticism were significantly less likely to contain such acts. This study contributes to the literature on gender and pornography by examining issues of degradation and power relations within the context of a rapidly expanding cybersex industry.

Engendering Democracy: Domestic Labour and Coalition-Building in South Africa

Abstract: This article examines aspects of social change in South Africa through an analysis of paid domestic labour after the 1994 inception of a new democracy. Race, class and gender divisions continue to define this social institution as the ‘last bastion of apartheid’. Sharp power asymmetries between women positioned as either domestic workers or employers present distinctive challenges to the accessibility of gender rights that remain central to South Africa's democratisation. Although domestic workers comprise one of the largest sectors of working women, their location in private households poses severe obstacles to formalising this particular labour. In the South African case, domestic work continues to reinforce social constructions of the household as a feminised and racialised space, through the paid labour of black women. While domestic workers face severe marginalisation as a result of continuing social inequalities, women are also actively confronting barriers to democracy in the private employment sph...

Women's Activism in South Africa: Working Across Divides

Abstract: Women’s Activism in South Africa: Working across Divides is an excellent intervention in a number of academic and policy debates that will be of interest to a South African audience but also to a global audience of gender activists and academics. The book addresses the glaring contradictions of a post-apartheid South Africa in which gender policy has been high on the political agenda and enshrined in the new constitution, but

Domestic Democracy : At Home in South Africa

Abstract: List of Figures and Tables List of Abbreviations Historical Chronology 'Overview of South Africa' Figure 'South African Provinces' Figure Acknowledgements Chapter One. South Africa in Transition Chapter Two. The Household as a Political Space Chapter Three. Weaving Content, Context and Self: The Methodological Journey Chapter Four. Resisted Transitions: The Social Landscape of Domestic Work Chapter Five. Intersections at Play: Complexities of Gender Location Chapter Six. "Women Won't Be Free Until Domestic Workers are Free!" Chapter Seven. Bringing Democracy Home Notes Bibliography Index

The World Report on violence and health

Abstract: Este reporte hace una importante contribucion a nuestra comprension de la violencia y su impacto sobre las sociedades. Exhibe los diferentes rostros de la violencia, desde el sufrimiento "invisible" de los individuos mas vulnerables de la sociedad, a la notria tragedia de las sociedades en conflicto. El mismo mejora nuestro analisis de los factores que conducen a la violencia y las posibles respuestas de diferentes sectores de la sociedad. Al hacer esto, este documento nos recuerda que la proteccion y la seguridad no ocurren en forma espontanea, sino que son el resultado de un consenso colectivo y de politicas publicas dirigidas a tal fin.

Gender (In)equality in Internet Pornography: A Content Analysis of Popular Pornographic Internet Videos

Abstract: Although Internet pornography is widely consumed and researchers have started to investigate its effects, we still know little about its content. This has resulted in contrasting claims about whether Internet pornography depicts gender (in)equality and whether this depiction differs between amateur and professional pornography. We conducted a content analysis of three main dimensions of gender (in)equality (i.e., objectification, power, and violence) in 400 popular pornographic Internet videos from the most visited pornographic Web sites. Objectification was depicted more often for women through instrumentality, but men were more frequently objectified through dehumanization. Regarding power, men and women did not differ in social or professional status, but men were more often shown as dominant and women as submissive during sexual activities. Except for spanking and gagging, violence occurred rather infrequently. Nonconsensual sex was also relatively rare. Overall, amateur pornography contained more gender inequality at the expense of women than professional pornography did.

"Without Porn … I Wouldn't Know Half the Things I Know Now": A Qualitative Study of Pornography Use Among a Sample of Urban, Low-Income, Black and Hispanic Youth.

Abstract: Information about the pornography-viewing habits of urban, low-income youth of color in the United States is lacking. This study was designed to answer the following using a sample of 16- to 18-year-old urban-residing, low-income Black or Hispanic youth: (1) What types of pornography do youth report watching; where and for what purpose? (2) Do youth feel that pornography exposure has an impact on their own sexual behaviors? and (3) How do parents react to their pornography use? The following themes emerged from interviews with 23 youth: (1) Youth primarily reported watching pornography that featured one-on-one sexual intercourse but also reported having seen extreme pornography (e.g., public humiliation, incest); (2) youth reported watching pornography on home computers or smartphones, and that pornography was frequently watched in school; (3) youth reported watching for entertainment, for sexual stimulation, instructional purposes, and to alleviate boredom; many copied what they saw in pornography during their own sexual encounters; (4) pressure to make or to imitate pornography was an element of some unhealthy dating relationships; and (5) parents were generally described as unsupportive of youth's use of pornography but underequipped to discuss it. Approximately one-fifth expressed a preference for pornography featuring actors of their same race/ethnicity.

Schoolgirls and Soccer Moms: A Content Analysis of Free “Teen” and “MILF” Online Pornography

Abstract: Viewing free online pornographic videos has increasingly become a common behavior among young people, although little is known about the content of these videos. The current study analyzed the content of two popular female-age-based types of free, online pornography (teen and MILF) and examined nuances in the portrayal of gender and access to power in relation to the age of the female actor. A total of 100 videos were selected from 10 popular Web sites, and their content was coded using independent raters. Vaginal intercourse and fellatio were the most frequently depicted sexual acts. The use of sex toys, paraphilias, cuddling, and condom use were rare, as were depictions of coercion. Control of the pace and direction of sexual activity was typically shared by the male and female actors. Moreover, there were no gender differences in initiation of sexual activity, use of persuasion, portrayals of sexual experience, or in professional status. However, female actors in MILF videos were portrayed as more agentic and were more likely to initiate sexual activity, control the pace of sexual activity, and have a higher professional status. Implications regarding the role of pornography in generating or reinforcing sexual norms or scripts are discussed.