Abstract
Attempts to limit the content of sexual and sexually related material did not end when President Clinton dismantled the ban on abortion counseling (the “gag rule”) in federally funded clinics. The Pornography Victims Compensation Act of 1992 permits suits by alleged victims of pornography against the manufacturers and distributors of erotic material. The author asserts that the Act represents continued efforts to limit and to “chill” the flow of sexually explicit material. The author describes this Act in the legal context of obscenity law, media liability for the violent acts by third-parties, and other crime victims compensation acts. Finally, this article suggests ways to protect continued access to erotic material for clinical, education, and research use.