The idea of legalizing pornography in Ukraine has sparked a lively discussion in society. The initiative gained a new wave of attention after a petition by OnlyFans model Svitlana Dvornikova, which collected over 25,000 signatures. UNN asked Kyiv residents whether they support this and whether such an idea is timely. Most respondents believe that it should still be done, but emphasize that such a law must be clearly defined.
"It's a double-edged sword. If it's very strictly legalized, meaning pornography will strictly feature actors 18+, without any deviations, classic pornography – then maybe it's okay," said one Kyiv resident. She also added that perhaps due to the war-shaken psyche, such a decision might not be timely.
"I think it's long overdue, because this legal norm is from the Soviet Union," another respondent noted.
Another Kyiv resident, when asked whether it was time to legalize porn in Ukraine, replied that it was definitely time, citing the recent scandal with an 18+ model as an example.
"There are cases with OnlyFans when they start paying taxes, and then people come to them and say: come on, share it here," he said. Only one Kyiv resident expressed categorical opposition to this idea:
"And morality? Where is morality?!" she asked in response.
Addition
In December last year, Yaroslav Zheleznyak emphasized on the air of Vechir.LIVE that Ukraine currently has a rudimentary article inherited from the Soviet Union, which does not exist in any other country in the world. According to it, for storing or distributing materials that may be considered pornographic, one can receive 5 years in prison. Even if it concerns a photo that a wife and husband send to each other. The MP noted that this is "not only an idiotic norm, but it is currently being applied by law enforcement agencies."
Last year, law enforcement sent over 1200 indictments to court under this article. 45 people were convicted in the first 9 months of 2024.
It is for this reason that, the day before, in November, a revised bill on the decriminalization of pornography was registered in the Verkhovna Rada. The document provides for the abolition of criminal liability for storing and distributing intimate videos, except in special cases.
Recall
An electronic petition for the decriminalization of pornography, created by OnlyFans model Svitlana Dvornikova, collected over 25,000 signatures. The author calls on the President to support bill No. 12191, which aims to legalize adult content through amendments to the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
She claims that over five years of working on the OnlyFans platform, she has paid over 40 million hryvnias in taxes to the state budget. Despite this, a criminal case was opened against her under Article 301 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine regarding the import, production, or distribution of pornography.