R18+ games

AUSTRALIA should keep its ban on R18+ games because children could be damaged by the act of participating in simulated violence and sex, says Guardian for Children Pam Simmons.

AdelaideNow reports the Federal Government is investigating whether the ban should be dropped, which Ms Simmons said would open the country to a range of games depicting domestic violence, rape, murder and torture.

Ms Simmons, who is the woman in charge of protecting the rights of children in South Australia, said people should understand that watching simulated domestic violence, for example, on a DVD was totally different from getting involved or children watching parents or older siblings getting involved.

"We are talking about high-impact violence including sexual and domestic violence and the game participation in drug use," she said.
"People will say, 'What is the difference between the games and violent movies?', and it is the interaction, the getting involved, rather than just watching.

"I am not advocating children watching it either, but they are not just seeing violence in these games, they are participating in it or watching an adult participating it, they are in there playing the game.

"There was new evidence as recently as two weeks ago showing the link between the actual participation of violence in games and violent behaviour."

Ms Simmons said it would be impossible to make sure only those aged 18 years and over played the games.

"No matter how well we think it will be controlled, we cannot control everything, and there will be situations where children are using the games, watching older siblings or adults playing them," she said.