Video nasties blamed for children's violence and distorted view of sex HA, Sheila Beardall Video machines are leading children to re-enact scencs of violence andi distorting their view of sexual behaviour, according to an investigation published todav. Lord Nugent ot Guildford, chairman of the Parliamentary Group Video Inquiry, said of its report: "Our worst fears were contirmed. "lt adds confirmation to the view that exposure of children to these sorts of scenes may lead them to violent behaviour and may be a major contributor to what wye see happening in our cities." The inquiry took nearly three years to gauge the .views of sociologits, child psychiatrists, paediatricians and educa- tionists. Its findings are pub- lished today in Video Violence and Children. Last year the inquirv pub- lished a surey of 4,500 children whichi showed that 45 per cent of those aged seven and over had seen at least one video nasty. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Chil- dren has found similar results from 1,500 replies to question- naires from families with problem children. These show that more than half the children had seen at least one "IS rated video and nearly 40 pcr cent had scen at least dne on the Director of Public Prosecutions' *banned list. In liomes where parents often watched violent or porno- graphic videos, children were much more likely to see them too, the NSPCC found. Mcmbers of the parliamen- tary group are calling for a review of existing law and its enforcement, and measures to deal withi what they described as "a new social phenomenon". They said the whole subject of pornography and its availa- biltiy also needed careful review. Dr Clifford Hill, director of the inquiry and consultant sociologist to the Home Office. said: "Some children atid young people are addicted to violence in much the same way as they arc becoming hooked on drugs, oniv this is eveni worse. There is strong evidence that children copy wvlat they see on the screen." Dr Hill said most ordinary children sufkercd some short- term effect from seeing a video nasty. A few children would be permanently affccted. Dr Hill said there was also evidence that violence on television news progranimes led to more. violent bsehaviour among children; One headmaster had told hini of children forming ranks in the playground and charging eaclh other in a re-enactment of the miners' strike. Mrs Pat Wynnejones, an- other member of the inquiry and a former primary school. teacher, said *'One little girl came to 'me and said -she now knew all about scx because of a video she lIad secn. "She said it was about a big man holding down a lady and the lady had screamed and screained- and screamed." Mr Peter Liddelow, deputy headmaster of a west London comprehensive, believed "the moral welfare of the future generation is at stake". He had carried out his own survey at school and found that out of 73 teenagers picked ai random, 63 had seen at least one banned video. Both Dr Hill atnd Professor Sir Martin Roth. a psychiatrist at Cambridge University, put part of the blame on the breakdown of the family. The most popular banned films witli both children and parents were "The Evil Dead,." Zombie Flesh-Eaters" and "'The Living Dead". Dr Hill said that to bring in n,ew laws xv6uld require "con- siderable political couragc" because of-the liigh value placed on personal f,edonm. The Video Recordings Act. when fully entforced. is hoped to stenm the numnber of video nasties available. I ideo I'io/ence and Cluildren. edited by Geoffrey Barlow and Alison Hill. (Hodder and Stoughton. ?4.95). Vi'deo nasties blamed for children' s violence and distorted view of sex