A Serious Question About Censorship

In the fall of 2009 I had the opportunity to meet The Human Centipede creative duo Tom and Ilona Six, the Dutch director-producer sibling duo, who were about to launch one of the biggest cult films of our time. The Human Centipede was about to become a huge underground sensation and its creators were charming, pleasant people who I liked quite a lot, Tom's fondness for Panama suits notwithstanding.

Today the duo are back in the news with word that their latest creation - The Human Centipede: Full Sequence - has been refused certification by the BBFC, a move that will make it illegal for the film to be distributed on DVD or VOD in the UK. Hit the link above for the full details as to why.

These sorts of situations always provoke strong reactions and I want to provide people the opportunity to weigh in on the issue directly here. And, to spark that, I'm going to deliberately phrase the question in as strong a way as possible, given the film in question. Here's what I want to know:

Should the ability to see a woman sexually humiliated - in this case surgically altered and anally raped by a man whose penis has been bound by barbed wire - in the name of entertainment be protected by law?

This is what the BBFC sees the core issue as and so I put it to you at face value. Though we are generally of an anti-censorship mind here at ScreenAnarchy you should be aware, though, that I don't consider "Censorship is bad" to be a valid answer any more than "We need the government watching over us". What matters, in either case, is why. Give me a reason and relate it to this specific instance. And, please, be respectful of all who care to weigh in, whether you agree with them or not.