New Evidence On The Harmful Effects Of Porn

People might get something watching in a private home every time that somebody is clicking on that we actually know that have continued into a larger land of sexual exploitation. This is family policy motors with NC family Pres. John Weston thanks for joining us this week for family policy matters. Our guest today is Haley Halverson, director of communications for the National Center on sexual and would you be discussing the positive progress being made to educate the public about the harms of pornography into limit its availability especially to children. There have been some interesting developments. This election year as well concerning where the major political parties stand on this issue and were to be talking about that to Haley. It's great to have you back on the show awoke in the family policy matters. Thank you for having me widely.

It seems like the public health risks of pornography are getting more attention these days in April, Utah became the first state to declare it a public health crisis. First of all what all of the public health dangers associated with pornography and secondly why are those dangers now garnering the attention of lawmakers and political leaders very good question because there are so many public health harms of pornography, one fact is that it is so pervasive in society.

One study found that 27% of older millennial first viewed pornography before puberty is affecting kids at younger and younger ages and because of that we thing a plethora of time. We note that since 2011, about 24 studies have been done showing that pornography has negative impacts on the brain. One of those negative impacts is that it actually linked to shrinkage and brain regions associated with motivation and impulse control, which is not great for the individual and not great for society.

Beyond the brain. We also know that are harmful to the body such as associated links with increase rates, STDs, and also negative impacts on sexual violence so there are definitely many public health harms of pornography, he could spend a whole hour talking about just that when the reasons why it's now become something that public officials are commenting on. I think is really just because we've been raising an entire generation with her getting the majority of their sexual education from Congress and so those harms are now starting to come out as children who are first watching it are now going into their young adulthood and I think just because these harms are so apparent is why public officials are now going to speak out about it about Utah's resolution of how that all came about right. So Utah's resolution was something that was actually drafted as a model resolution by the National Center on sexual exploitation and they picked up and ran with it and it's a nonbinding resolution really just calling for greater public awareness about the public health harms of pornography so they said it's nonbinding. It doesn't require any funding to help set a powerful precedent for this date officials to start recognizing that there is a problem and hopefully we hope it will lead to policy changes in the future for things such as making sure that there's Wi-Fi filtering on public schools and public libraries to your knowledge, looking at similar resolutions. Yes, actually Tennessee passed the resolution through their house. I believe it was last session, but the session ended before they could get all the way through, but we have probably three or four other states, including Tennessee that we know are going to be hoping to put a resolution similar to this into effect next year.

While he too many people view pornography is an isolated voice or out little shorts for consenting adults is actually closely linked to sexual exploitation and violence connect those dots were listeners right well part of it comes down to the fact that pornography is teaching people something and the lessons that it is teaching I left the sexual violence and analysis of the 50 most popular pornographic videos. Those Botton rented most often found that 88% of the scene contained physical violence majority. The times against women and 95% of the women's responses were either neutral or pleasure.

And so pornography is literally keychain people that women violence is sexy and as a result, it's not surprising that other studies have found that there is a link between pornography and increased sexual violence, including a 2015 study that examined seven different countries and found that this is a consistent theme of pornography users having increased incidences of sexual violence against women.

Then we also know that it does have an escalating effect and for some users in order to get the same old hi they need to go on and actually purchase individuals for Saxons of that there talk. Pornography is also linked to prostitution and sex trafficking as well. So people might say that pornography is just a fantasy.

It's something that there's watching in the private of their own home, but every time that somebody is clicking on that we actually know that there contributing to a larger web of sexual exploitation will seems to me from information that I have seen is becoming a greater and greater awareness among what officials and other folks become a law enforcement communities in Health and Human Services arenas across the nation to all the harms associated with this and the victimization of women and children even to the degree that recently the Republican and Democratic parties held their conventions and a lot of people may not realize that in addition to nominating their presidential candidates. The parties also discuss and approve their party platforms will in the context of the two major parties had something to say about pornography at the recent conventions talk about the relief you would write so the Republican national committee at the convention platform which did include language declaring pornography a public health crisis.

In addition to that the DNC and their party platform talked a lot about sexual violence against women, and how it's crucial for the nation to start addressing prevention programs and ways to prevent sexual violence against women and somewhat through what I just talked about about the link between pornography and sexual violence we see that pornography, absolutely, and needs to play significant role in the prevention effort against sexual violence against women, and so we are very encouraged by this we absolutely think that it points to a future of continuing to recognize the harms of pornography are bipartisan. There actually not partisan at all, everyone is affected by them. And so were encouraged by this and hope that these platforms will lead to further examination of these issues will present candidates. As I understand it, have been asked to sign an anti-Internet pornography plugged by a national organization called enough is enough. Tells about the children's Internet safety presidential pledge and why it is significant right so this pledge, which was signed by Mr. Trump and the Clinton campaign said that they have a policy of not finding any pledges but that the actually support the goals of this pledge, so I again I see this is something that has potential to be very bipartisan that real point of this pledge is when it talks about enforcing existing federal laws, including obscenity law, something that a lot of people don't know is that what is most of hard-core pornography today actually would qualify as under the law and its action against federal law to distribute obscene material through the Internet, hotel, motel, and a host of other avenues and so when the reasons that were having this public health crisis right now because the Department of Justice is not enforcing this law going after the distributors at this material that we definitely hope that on future presidential candidates will stand by this pledge and will take a stand against obscenity was listening to policy matters of resource from to listen to our radio show online, and for more resources that will be a voice of persuasion in your community to our website and see family.org. We talked about this a little bit ago and said, but with the proliferation of Wi-Fi Internet streaming sexually explicit content has never been so readily available as it is the National Center on social exportation has been involved in a national campaign to make the Internet safer for joint children and families about campaign partnership is called enough is enough. Tells about those efforts right that we partnered with enough is enough in what we call the porn free Wi-Fi campaign. We had untrained success just very recently, McDonald's has declared that it will filter the Wi-Fi and all of their corporate owned chains and that they will also make those same functions available for their franchisees and Starbucks has also said that they will alter their corporate owned stores as well. So this is really important. It's just 1 Less Pl. where a child could be on unintentionally exposed to pornography where sexual exploitation just isn't allowed, and we hope that libraries in public schools will join in and also make sure that they have one free Wi-Fi or Internet devices as well, because unfortunately, many of them do not maybe ask what can I do you recognize this is very problematic about my kids are able to access all manner of material on while five restaurants in shopping malls in public areas. What recommendations would you have for parents who want to help in this wish, but there are so many things that they can do and it's exciting because because of individuals taking Testament changes like this you seen whole corporations shift on how they address this problem. So first of all I would encourage you that no one individual. One mom when dad can make a huge difference. One thing that they can do as I talked to their kids about that so many parents just want to have a one time talk, but now in the age of pornography. Kids are being bombarded by death so often that they really do need to have multiple conversations and open dialogue about the harm they can go to and sexual exploitation.org we have the resources tab. That's full of books and suggestions and articles how to talk to kids about this and maybe the best filtering for their houses as well. As far as action other actions, they can do. They can absolutely go in and talk to store managers. Starbucks are at McDonald's if they see a Cosmopolitan magazine that I would and that child a high level they can talk to a store manager at a supermarket and ask them to remove that and they can also take a lot of actions on our website where they can send emails and sign petitions that we have ongoing that are asking several different corporations to become more family-friendly to take a stand against sexual exploitation, so also, even if they can't make it out to supermarket his head over to our website and you can take a lot of virtual actions that can make a big difference why we would tomb teams. Children who are really bombarded a lot of this content on a daily basis. What can they do not only to help protect themselves, but to help protect their friends, family members and others from the sort of exposures will one thing is being somewhat educated about the actual harms of pornography.

Tell me people say that it's harmless, but that's not what the research shows. Also, they can take a big stand by talking to their peers about it. You know, especially guys in the locker room more anything like that just letting them know that no you don't think pornography is cool is actually really great organization called fight the new drug that is built directly towards teens and helping them talk talk about these issues that really cool graphics you can share and great educational resources and short videos so that would also be a resource that any teenagers to read why we going somewhat reassuring that I know you mentioned your website a couple times already but I want to give you an opportunity before we close to give the web address to her listeners again so they can make sure to avail themselves of the really valuable information that you will have absolutely edited and EMD sexual exploitation.org OIG and thank you so much for having me Wiley Halverson.

Thank you for being with us again on family policy matters for your important work exposing the dangers of photography and also for providing practical solutions and opportunities for parents and teens to get involved and engaged in this issue and if we all work together we know that we can make a great difference in this arena, it is critically important solicitors please get involved, please go to him sexual exploitation.org and visit so he was website. Learn more about the National Center on social exportation and what you can do to play a part in helping to make our culture meal was listening to family policy matters. The production of NC family to listen to a radio show online more valuable resources and information about issues important to families in North Carolina my website and see family.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook