Defending Dignity Weekly Newsletter

Highlights: EXCLUSIVE Summit Replays Available for WRAP Week, NEW Instagram Features, and more!

Taking on Big Porn: Exposing the Abuse, Sex Trafficking, and Harms to Children

In honor of White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) Week, we are sharing exclusive content from the 2020 Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation Global Summit.

Learn more about how pornography drives a culture of abuse, how Pornhub is enabling and profiting sexual exploitation, and how internet pornography affects adolescent brains.

Share what you learn with #WRAPWeek and #PornHarms to help educate the public on the harms of pornography!

This live discussion features:

Rachael Denhollander, Attorney & Survivor Advocate
Laila Mickelwait, Director of Abolition at Exodus Cry
Mary Sharpe, Chair at The Reward Foundation
Christen Price, Legal Counsel at NCOSE Law Center

Watch Video

New Study Shows Porn Profits From and Promotes Racism

Despite the blatant evidence of racism in pornography and the commercial sex industry in general, online pornography continues to fly under the radar of the public’s usually critical eye, and research tends to ignore the issue altogether.

However, a new study published by researchers at Indiana University Bloomington looked into how black men and women are portrayed in online pornography. The study, which examined 1,741 pornographic scenes from two of the largest global online porn streaming sites, found that black women were consistently more likely to be the target of aggression when compared to white women, while black men were significantly more likely to be shown perpetrating acts of aggression compared to white men.

WRAP Week is the perfect opportunity to share this research, and put pressure on the pornography industry for hosting racist content.

Make sure to sign the petition to shut down Pornhub!

How Porn Awareness and Refusal Skills Protect Kids from Sexual Exploitation

Children who are taught to recognize pornography, report exposure, and reject porn’s harmful messages are safer from sexual exploitation of all kinds.

This talk also covers the challenges that parents can face in terms of engagement with this topic.

Participants will leave with research linking pornography with child sexual abuse; age appropriate messages to teach children about pornography; and resources to help children develop porn-refusal skills.

Part of WRAP Week is making resources more widely known and available to aid those affected.

Share resources from Protect Young Minds and Our Kids Online using #WRAPWeek and #PornHarms.

This live discussion features:

Kristen Jenson, CEO at Protect Young Minds
Rob Cope, Co-Founder, Director, and Producer at Hazardous Journey Productions
Zareen Sheikh-Cope, Co-Founder and Producer at Hazardours Journey Productions

Watch Video

Porn and the Pandemic: What to Do When a Partner's Addiction is Exposed

It is no surprise that pornography use escalated as more people stayed at home and online during the novel coronavirus quarantines of 2020.

But what about the innocent spouse or partner of someone who uses pornography? What are they supposed to do when they find themselves facing down this addiction in their loved one?

Watch and share this Facebook Live to learn how pornography use has impacted relationships during COVID-19.

Read and Share This Article

PROGRESS! Instagram Takes Step Forward via Improved Reporting and Direct Message Tools

Instagram has made significant improvements to address the sexual exploitation and abuse that occur on its platform.

We have been communicating and working with Instagram for over a year. We are grateful to report regular positive developments from this collaboration.

Now, Instagram has rolled out a new ability for users to turn off receiving direct messages from strangers, or people that they do not follow.

This is a significant victory! Survivors of sex trafficking have shared that they regularly received unsolicited messages from men asking them for sex or sending them pornography. This improvement was made in direct response to these concerns.

Parents, it is so important that you help you kids update their settings!

Once you do, share this article with your friends and family so that they can update settings as well!

Read and Share This Article

Take Action this WRAP Week:

With gratitude,

Dawn Hawkins

Sr. Vice President & Executive Director

National Center on Sexual Exploitation

Manage your preferences | Opt out using TrueRemove™
Got this as a forward? Sign up to receive our future emails.
View this email online.

440 1st Street NW, Suite 840
Washington, DC | 20001 US

This email was sent to [email protected].
To continue receiving our emails, add us to your address book.