Trafficking In Persons (TIP) report: China, Russia and Uzbekistan Downgraded To Tier 3

Downgraded to Tier 3
As mentioned in a previous post, the US State Department as released the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report for 2013.  The current report revealed that China, Russia and Uzbekistan were automatically downgraded to the lowest rank of Tier 3 this year.  This puts them in the same category as countries, like North Korea, Iran, Libya and Syria, among others.  It is estimated that there are currently 27 million slaves worldwide and a Tier 3 rating means these countires are considered home to some of the worst perpetrators in the world of human trafficking. 

The downgrade of Russia and China does not come without objection from their government. You can read more about that Here

It is also important to note when reviewing the TIP report that a Tier 1 rating does not mean that human trafficking is non-existant in that county.  It simply means that the country fully complies with the minimum anti-trafficking standards.

China:
China is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Women and children from neighboring Asian countries, including Burma, Vietnam, Laos, Singapore, Mongolia, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), as well as from Russia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas, are reportedly trafficked to China for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor.

Forced labor remains a problem, including in brick kilns, coal mines, and factories, some of which operate illegally and take advantage of lax labor supervision. Forced labor, including forced begging by adults and children.  State-sponsored forced labor is part of a systematic form of repression known as “re-education through labor.” The government reportedly profits from this forced labor, and many prisoners and detainees in at least 320 of these facilities were required to work, often with no remuneration. The prisoners were sometimes beaten for failing to complete work quotas.

Chinese women and girls are subjected to sex trafficking within China; they are often recruited from rural areas and transported to urban centers. China is also a destination for women and girls, largely from neighboring countries, who are sometimes  subjected to forced marriage and forced prostitution upon arrival. Well-organized international criminal syndicates and local gangs play key roles in both the outbound trafficking of Chinese women and girls and the inbound trafficking of foreign women and girls into China.

The Chinese government’s birth limitation policy and a cultural preference for sons, create a skewed sex ratio of 118 boys to 100 girls in China, which served as a key source of demand for the trafficking of foreign women as brides for Chinese men and for forced prostitution.  Women from Burma, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Mongolia are transported to China after being recruited through marriages brokers or fraudulent employment offers, where they are subsequently subjected to forced prostitution or forced labor.

China remains a significant source of girls and women subjected to forced prostitution throughout the world. During the year, Chinese sex trafficking victims were reported on all of the inhabited continents. Traffickers recruited girls and young women, often from rural areas of China, using a combination of fraudulent job offers, imposition of large travel fees, and threats of physical or financial harm, to obtain and maintain their service in prostitution.

Russia:

Russia is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children who are subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. Labor trafficking remains the predominant human trafficking problem within Russia; the Migration Research Center estimates that one million people in Russia are exposed to “exploitative” labor conditions characteristic of trafficking cases, such as withholding of documents, nonpayment for services, physical abuse, or extremely poor living conditions.  Construction, manufacturing, agriculture, repair shop, grocery store, and domestic service industries, as well as forced begging and narcotics cultivation; there were a number of cases discovered during the last year in textile or garment factories. In some of the labor trafficking cases throughout the country, foreign workers died the Moscow suburbs, textile workers were beaten, poorly fed, refused medical care, and prohibited from leaving the factory.

Reports of Russian women and children subjected to sex trafficking both in Russia and abroad continued in 2012.  Russian citizens are reportedly victims of sex trafficking in many countries, including in Northeast Asia, Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. There were also reports of citizens of European, African, and Central Asian countries being forced into prostitution in Russia.

Prosecutions in Russia during the reporting period remained low compared to estimates of Russia’s trafficking  problem. While the government issued a brochure to raise awareness on trafficking, no other efforts were made to fund a national awareness campaign. An interagency committee was established to address human trafficking issues, but it has not yet met.

Uzbekistan:

Uzbekistan is a source country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and women and children subjected to sex trafficking. Internal labor trafficking remains prevalent during the annual cotton harvest, in which children and adults are victims of government-organized forced labor.  According to a variety of sources, including UNICEF, the government vigorously implemented for the first time a decree banning the use of labor by school children up to 15 years of age in the annual cotton harvest; however, the government continued to force older children and adults to harvest cotton. As in previous years, the government set a quota for national cotton production and paid farmers artificially low prices for the cotton produced, making it almost impossible for farmers to pay wages that would attract a voluntary workforce.

Uzbekistani women and children are subjected to sex trafficking, often through fraudulent offers of employment, in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, India, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey, Thailand, Lebanon, Ukraine, Greece, Pakistan, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea, Japan, China, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, and within Uzbekistan.

For the full country narratives visit US State Department

 

So what happens now?

President Obama now has up to 90 days to decide whether the three countries will be subjected to sanctions that include an end to many forms of foreign aid and the withholding of American support in institutions like the World Bank.

The big question is whether or not the White House is prepared to execute the sanctions.

Local Event: Run In RED And Take A Stand Against Child Slavery & Exploitation!

The 2nd annual Red Run 5k to raise awareness and resources to combat child sex slavery and exploitation will be held Saturday August 10th, 2013 at Presidential Park in Algonquin, IL.  I participated in this run last year and it was so inspiring to see all of that RED running the streets of Algonquin.  I saw all ages wearing RED to support this event including men in RED dresses.  It really is a fun event.  To register or donate go to The Red Run.  The cost to register is $30 for runners and $25 for walkers.  Your registration will support organizations at the frontlines in the fight against human trafficking. Want to volunteer instead of run?  Email at volunteer@theredrun.org.

The Back Story:

When Kristen Guerrieri and Cortina Nystad first put on red dresses last summer to jog at rush hour in downtown Algonquin, they keenly felt the stares and honks of people driving by. "I was mortified, people were paying attention because of how I looked," said Guerrieri, 32, of Algonquin.  Nystad, 35, agreed. "It's kind of a funny feeling when you're on Route 62 and you know every single car is slowing down to see what you're doing," she said.

But getting attention — however awkward it may feel — is exactly what they want, they said, as the red dresses symbolize the fight against child sex trafficking. Nystad and Guerrieri explained they were inspired to wear them after a story about Cambodian girls who wore red dresses as they were being sold to the highest bidder in a brothel.

Now, the two women, helped by several of Guerrieri's relatives including her husband, Michael, are organizing The Red Run 5K Run/Walk in Algonquin on Aug. 11, whose proceeds will benefit Anne's House, a trauma-based residential facility for victims of sex trafficking in the Chicago area, and Love146, an organization that provides prevention and aftercare solutions internationally. Although wearing red dresses is not mandatory, they are encouraging everyone to wear red.

People may think that child trafficking only takes places in faraway countries, but it goes on all around us, said Guerrieri, who volunteers at Anne's House, which is run by The Salvation Army's Promise program.

"We have to make it absolutely clear this is happening in our backyard," she said. "It's not only overseas, it's not only in the inner city — it's in the suburbs, it's everywhere. People need to be aware of it."  Nystad agreed. "People stop us and ask what we're doing, and they are shocked to find out that child sex trafficking is going on right under our noses," she said.

A spokesman for The Salvation Army's Promise program said all the proceeds generated by The Red Run will go directly toward helping girls who are victims of commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, and will help ensure that Anne's House remains open long term.  Statistics compiled by the University of Illinois at Chicago show that in 2011 there were 93 cases — 38 of them confirmed — that referenced potential human trafficking situations in Illinois to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.

Guerrieri said she's always been aware of the issue through reading and research. Last year, she participated in the "Tread on Trafficking" fundraiser for Love 146 with a goal of running 146 miles in an 8-week period. "That's when the idea of running in a red dress first came to me," she said.

Guerrieri bought her red dress for $4 at Sears, while Nystad's belonged to a friend who wore it for prom. Neither is great for running, but at least Guerrieri's is made of a stretchy, breathable material. Nystad's dress, on the other hand, is unforgiving.

"Running in the hot summer months with the humidity is unbearable, but we're running for an amazing cause," Nystad said. "These little girls in red dresses were put on a menu, and people were selling their virginity. This is nothing — bearing an hour of heat is nothing."

Guerrieri said people are reacting very positively to plans for The Red Run, which organizers want to turn into an annual event. Long-term plans include having sex trafficking curriculums in middle and high schools, Nystad said. "The interest is absolutely amazing, people are jumping on board. It's definitely good confirmation that we're not crazy," Guerrieri said.  Original Article

Trafficking In Persons (TIP) Report 2013

 

The U.S. State Department recently released its annual Trafficking In Persons (TIP)

report for 2013. 

For the full report visit:  US State Department

 

 

 

What is the TIP report?

The TIP report helps to identify countries where trafficking is most problematic.  It rates 188 countries and gives each nation a tier rating based on their compliance with standards outlined in the TVPA. These tiers are:

• Tier 1 Countries whose governments fully comply with the TVPA's minimum standards.
• Tier 2 Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.
• Tier 2 Watchlist Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the TVPA’s minimum standards, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards AND: a) The absolute number of victims of severe forms of trafficking is very significant or is significantly increasing; or b) There is a failure to provide evidence of increasing efforts to combat severe forms of trafficking in persons from the previous year; or c) The determination that a country is making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with minimum standards was based on commitments by the country to take additional future steps over the next year.
• Tier 3 Countries whose governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so.

The 2013 Report:

• There are 21 countries with a Tier 3 rating.  China, Russia, Uzbekistan and 18 other countries that are found not to be taking the affirmative steps necessarty to fight human trafficking.
• There are 44 countries on the Tier 2 Watch List that could lead to sanctions unless their records improve.
• This is the first year a country has been automatically downgraded to Tier 3.  To prevent a country from remaining stagnant on the Tier 2 Watch list there was a time limit established.  When a country is placed on the Tier 2 Watch list they can request a waiver provision if they have a written plan and resources dedicated towards meeting the concerns addressed in the report.  Those waivers were only available for two years. There were six countries that were facing automatic downgrade this year:  Azerbaijan, Irag, the Congo, Russia, China, and Uzbekistan.  Three of them were downgraded:  China, Russia, and Uzbekistan. 

If you want to learn more about what human trafficking looks like globally this is a great place to start.  Choose a country (they are all listed alphabetically) and read what trafficking looks like in that country.

 

 

Arrested Twice For Human Trafficking

Repeat Offender: 

 

The first man ever to be convicted in Cook County of sex trafficking has been arrested again for the same crime. Myrelle Lockett, 20, is accused of taking an 18-year-old girl from Minnesota to Chicago and planning to force her to work as a prostitute.

Authorities say Lockett first connected with the girl on social media then traveled with his twin brother, Tyrelle, to Minnesota and forced the girl to drive with them back to Chicago. The twins brought the girl to their father’s home on the South Side, but she was able to escape.

Myrelle and Tyrelle Lockett were both convicted of sex trafficking in 2011.

Their father, Nathan Nicholson, faces indictment for promoting prostitution.   Original Article

 

What troubled me most about this case was the fact that they were committing the same crime again in such a short amount of time.  To me this meant that they were not given a proper sentence for the crime they committed the first time.  They were first arrested in 2011 and sentenced to 4 years in prision.  Original Article

Yet, in less that 2 years they are out committing the same horrific crime again.  Forcing girls with violence to have sex with strangers and then keeping the money.  They changed the course of their entire life for these young girls.  I hope justice is served and they are sentence to more than 4 year this time around. 

The other troubling aspect of this case is the continued use of backpage in luring and selling these girls. I first posted about backpage Here. When are we going to hold this online advertising source accountable for their part in facilitating human trafficking?



 

Book Review: Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

I absolutely loved this book.  Rarely does a book take me on such a rollercoaster of emotions.  I laughed.  I cried.  I felt angry.  While this book is not about human trafficking, the healing journey that CeeCee goes through reminded me of what I imagine a victim of sexual exploitation may go through in her healing journey.  Here is what Goodreads says:

Twelve-year-old CeeCee is in trouble. For years she’s been the caretaker of her psychotic mother, Camille— the crown-wearing, lipstick-smeared laughingstock of an entire town. Though it’s 1967 and they live in Ohio, Camille believes it’s 1951 and she’s just been crowned the Vidalia Onion Queen of Georgia.

The day CeeCee discovers Camille in the front yard wearing a tattered prom dress and tiara as she blows kisses to passing motorists, she knows her mother has completely flipped. When tragedy strikes, Tootie Caldwell, a previously unknown great-aunt comes to CeeCee’s rescue and whisks her away to Savannah. Within hours of her arrival, CeeCee is catapulted into a perfumed world of prosperity and Southern eccentricities—a world that appears to be run entirely by women.

While Tootie is busy saving Savannah’s endangered historic homes from the wrecking ball, CeeCee encounters a cast of unforgettable, eccentric characters. From the mysterious Thelma Rae Goodpepper, who bathes in an outdoor tub under the watchful eyes of a voyeuristic peacock, to Oletta Jones, the all-knowing household cook, to Violene Hobbs, the loud-mouthed widow who entertains a local police officer in her yellow see-through peignoir, the women of Gaston Street keep CeeCee entertained and enthralled for an entire summer.

But CeeCee’s view of the world is challenged in ways she could have never imagined: there are secrets to keep, injustices to face, and loyalties to uphold. Just as she begins to find her ballast and experiences a sense of belonging, her newfound joy collides with the long-held fear that her mother’s legacy has left her destined for destruction.

Laugh-out-loud funny, at times heartbreaking, and written in a pitch-perfect voice, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is a spirited Southern tale that explores the intricate frailties and strengths of female relationships while illuminating the journey of a young girl who loses her mother but finds many others.
 

The book follows CeeCee on her journey where she begins as a broken, hurting, traumatized little girl.   Her world has crumbled away.  Her mother who has been the source of much humiliation and instability in her life has passed away and her near non-existant father wants to send her off to live with an aunt she has never met.  She is briskly ripped away from the only life she ever knew.  Once in Savannah Georgia she is srrounded by a cast of lively women who build into her and pour love into her.  CeeCee begins to heal and to blossom into the sweet, fun loving girl God created her to be. 

This book was filled with such wisdom between the pages.  I am including some of my favorites quotes here so I can remember them, but also because I can imagine some of them bringing healing to a survivor of human trafficking. 

"...I wondered if I'd ever be so lucky to have a girlfriend I'd grow old with, a girlfriend who knew my secrets, my fears, my hopes--and loved me anyway. A purple-velvet-sofa kind of girlfriend."

It's what we believe about ourselves that determines how others see us

It's how we survive the hurts in life that brings us strength and gives us our beauty

far too many people die with a heart that's gone flat with indifference, and it surely must be a terrible way to go. Life will offer us amazing opportunities, but we've got to be wide-awke to recognize them

"Every time you give in to your fears, you're lettin' that man win. And every time you do that, he gets stronger while you get weaker. Givin' into your fears will rob you blind. You'll end up a prisoner to that man for the rest of your life.”

"Just set up the board as best you can. We'll play with whatever we got."

it occurred to me that that's what friends should do: cherish the good and pretend not to notice the harmless rest

“...holding on to hurt and anger made about as much sense as hitting your head with a hammer and expecting the other person to get a headache.”

"Cecelia Rose, she said, reaching for my hand, "far too many people die with a heart that's gone flat with indifference, and it surely must be a terrible way to go. Life will offer us amazing opportunities, but we've got to be wide-awake to recognize them." "Cecelia Rose, she said, reaching for my hand, "far too many people die with a heart that's gone flat with indifference, and it surely must be a terrible way to go. Life will offer us amazing opportunities, but we've got to be wide-awake to recognize them."

"I know this is the same sky that hangs over Ohio, but the sun seems bigger here. Everything seems bigger."

She pursed her lips and thought about that for a moment. "Maybe your eyes is just more open."

 

Run For The Cause With Team World Vision

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice.  They are also one of my favorite charity organizations to support.  They do amazing work around the world.  They rank #8 on Forbes list of the 100 largest U.S. charities.  This rank takes into account financial efficiency–essentially how much of donations go directly to the charitable mission as opposed to fundraising and certain overhead.  So I feel comfortable knowing that my money is going where they say it will go.   

The last 2 summers I ran the Chicago Half Marathon with Team World Vision to raise money for clean water in Africa.  In the developing world, women and children walk an average of six kilometers to collect water for their families. The journey to and from the nearest well takes hours. And much of it is spent carrying a heavy jug of water. It was a tremendous experience to run and raise money for something that I take for granted - easy access to clean water.

You can imagine my delight to learn that runners for Team World Vision doing the New York City Marathon on November 3, 2013 are raising money to fight human trafficking!

Worldwide, many vulnerable children are forced by poverty to work to earn money to support their families. Some are kidnapped or lured from home by the promise of a good job. Each year, criminals make an estimated $32 billion by exploiting victims of human trafficking.

Many more children face the threat of other forms of abuse and violence, including sexual assault, domestic abuse, gang violence, female genital mutilation, and forced early marriage. Studies indicate that at least one in four children report having been physically abused. In the developing world, more than one in three girls marry before age 18, with an increased risk of experiencing domestic violence.

For the first time ever, Team World Vision runners will be raising money for these children.

To learn more or to donate go Here

Movie Review: Not Today

Not Today follows a 20 year old Caden from a wealthy family as he and his friends live their life partying and with no responsibilities.  While drinking and playing cards they decide the winner of the game will choose a place for them to travel.  They throw a dart at a map to see where it will be and the dart lands on Hyderabad, India.   Once there, they continue their partying and are oblivious to the needs around them.

What I liked about the movie:
This movie really captures the essence of how wealthy and fortunate we are in the US.  We are so blessed compared to so many other places in the world.  Did you know that 2.1 billion people, live on less than $2 a day? Of these people, 880 million live on less than $1 a day. The enormous gap between what we have and what they do not have is done very well.  I found myself cringing at Caden's callous response to the Dad as he asks for food to feed his daughter that hasn't eaten in 3 days.  Caden is so blessed that he can fly to India on a whim, but yet his heart was so hard he could not offer even a little of what he had to someone in need.

Not Today also shows the harsh reality that some parents sell their own children.  Some, like the Dad in the movie, do so unknowingly.  They are living in extreme poverty and someone will offer their child the promise of a better life.  The promise of a job opportunity working for a wealthy couple where she will be fed, taken care of and given an education.  They feel they are doing what is best for their child, but the reality is that she is being sold into slavery.  In some countries, parents will knowingly sell their children into slavery.  The children go because they feel that they can help their families. They feel in debt to their families, and want to help improve their lives.

The movie also shows the plight of the Dalits in India who are discriminated against because of where in India they were born.  When Karin, who is a Dalit, helps Caden find his way back to his hotel the hotel will not allowed Karin inside because he is considered one of the untouchables.  This was heartbreaking for me.  We are all God's children and he values each and everyone of us. NOT TODAY executive producer Pastor Matthew Cork says:

"Dalits are not considered human. They get no education. They are used and abused and have no recourse or avenues toward justice. There is no protection from law enforcement; no access to the courts; no political voice, no hope of upward mobility.

"Our goal for the entire movement is no small thing: to eliminate the caste system, to free the Dalits. The world needs to understand that slavery still exists. That even today, young children are bought and sold like cattle. That little girls are forced into the dark, illicit sex trade. That young boys and girls are coerced to beg in the streets, and bring their proceeds back to line the pockets of thugs who abuse them at night."

What I did not like about the movie:
The rescuing of the little girl did not seem realistic to me.  While I did feel it captured how quickly they are sold and then moved underground I found it hard to believe that someone could just go in showing a picture of the girl, offer some money and be able to rescue her.  But this in no way detracts from the message of the movie and the awareness it is bringing to the issue of human trafficking.

My favorite quote from the movie is when Caden is reading a letter his mom had tucked in his bible before he left for his trip.  She told him she was praying for him to be able to see everything he has, to see what others lack and to bridge that gap with his heart.  I loved seeing the transformation of Caden's heart from a self absorbed young man who doubts his faith to a young man down on his knees begging for God to help rescue that little girl.
 
NOT TODAY is a powerful reminder that change is possible if we're willing to open our eyes ... today.

The Link Between Pornography and Sex Trafficking.

According the Pornharms.com website there are strong links between pornography and sex trafficking.

Here are some key points to understand:

• Pornography is used as a “tool” to train young children and women so that they will “know” what to do in performing sex acts.

• Often, the forced sexual acts between the prostituted woman/child and the John will be filmed and photographed and then shared elsewhere.

• Studies show that pornography users often seek to act out what they have viewed in porn. Often their partners will not engage in such acts, so they seek it elsewhere – increasing the demand for trafficked women and children to be prostituted.

• Pimps are operating more and more online as it becomes easier to connect with potential buyers and to remain anonymous.  Popular websites like www.Craigslist.com and www.Facebook.com have become “virtual brothels” where one can quickly find prostituted women and children to engage in sex acts.

• As addictions to pornography increase, users seek harder and harder material. There is a recent boom in the availability of “live” porn as trafficked children and women are forced to perform “on-demand” sex acts in front of web cameras as “Johns” or porn users watch.

• Porn users do not and cannot distinguish between trafficked women, prostitutes, and porn stars.

• Pornography fuels the global sex trade by driving demand into the mainstream of society.

Additional points about sex trafficking:

• Somewhere between 100,000 and 300,000 youths are trafficked and sexually exploited for profit within the United States every year.

• According to the United Nations, 2 million children alone are prostituted in the commercial sex trade.

• More than 300,000 cases of female trafficking have been reported in the United States.

• In the U.K., 35% of trafficked women were exposed to pornography, including being shown pornography to “groom” them into prostitution.

• If a person is compelled to engage in a commercial sex act (which includes the filming of commercial pornography) through fraud she is a victim of sex trafficking.

• The use of pornography serves as a marketing tool for forms of sexual exploitation such as sex trafficking, slavery, and sex tourism.

• Of 854 women in prostitution, 49% were admitted that pornography was made of them while they were in prostitution.

• One of the most significant and persistent barriers to combating human trafficking is widespread insistence on distinguishing between sexual trafficking and prostitution.

• Men who pay to watch prostitutes be prostituted on film are long-distance johns.

The Effects of Pornography

Pornography, which is the depiction of graphic sexual acts, has tremendous effects on anyone that continuously engages in its viewing. It distorts a person’s concept of the nature of sexual relations which in turn can alter his/her sexual attitudes and behavior. Below are some of the effects pornography has on its viewers.

1) Effects on the Family

Married men (this can also apply to women) who regularly engage in pornography are more likely to be dissatisfied with their wives and can become detached emotionally from them. Wives may not be aware that their husband is viewing Pornography but they do notice a difference in his attitude toward her. His change can be due to the fact that Pornography viewing makes you numb to “normal” sexual relations. The more you are exposed to, the more you want it. It’s like a never ending vicious cycle. It may not just be the wife that’s suffering, if children are present they will be affected by their father’s pornography viewing as well. A consequence of pornography viewing can be a loss of interest in family relations. That also means less time spent with children. All the addict can think of is how to satisfy his cravings. Another problem can arise if a child becomes exposed to the pornographic material or accidentally finds his/her father engaging in Pornography. This can very much distort the child’s perception of his/her father and the child’s image of healthy sexuality in general.

2) Effects on the Individual

One of the effects of pornography on the individual is that the person becomes desensitized to the type of pornography they are viewing. Think of a drug addict that needs to periodically increase his dosage to have the same kind of feeling they use to get with less of the drug. The same happens with pornography, for example looking at a Playboy is not going to last for very long. The next thing they may switch to is Internet pornography. This will go on and on. Their desire for Pornography will increase and their point of satisfaction will continue to rise as well. It will take more and more to have the same effect on him.

3) Effects on Marriage

Imagine all this going on while being married? Do you think that this man who is engaging in pornography viewing will actually still have interest in his wife? Do you think his wife could actually meet his standards now? Most likely not! She is not going to be enough for him anymore. This is extremely harmful for the marriage. The husband may actually lose complete interest in his wife and his wife in return may have feelings of betrayal, mistrust, loss, devastation, and anger in response to finding out about her husband’s addiction.

4) Effects on Adolescents

Exposure to pornography in adolescent years can come about accidentally or not. A majority of adolescents become exposed to pornography accidentally on the Internet. While the initial reaction may be disgust or shame that can quickly change to fascination and enjoyment. Pornography can bring about a curiosity in the adolescent that can lead to the intentional search of material. The more access an adolescent has to a computer, the easier it will be for him/her to access the material. This is why it is important, as parents, to have filters on your computers and have your children supervised while on the computer. This can be as simple as having them in the same room with you while being on the computer.

5) Pornography and the Media

The media plays a key role in all of this. I think we have become numb to certain sexual explicit material nowadays. If people from a decade ago were exposed to what we are exposed to these days, I think they would be in complete shock. We are constantly bombarded with sexual material, whether it is in magazines, TV, radio, or the Internet. It is so prevalent that we do not even realize how much we are consumed by it. That in itself is very sad. Our culture is all about sex and then you wonder why people become addicted to pornography. Almost every show on TV and every commercial contains sexual material inappropriate for any child or adolescent.

Pornography is not beneficial no matter who the consumer is in the family. It can be a child, adolescent, young adult, or adult, the effects of pornography are detrimental to either one. The effects differ depending on the life stage you are in but as mentioned above, simply put, the use of pornography may temporarily bring satisfaction to you but in the long term it will only bring damage to your life. It’s more than an addiction, it’s not simply having the need to view sexual material, you become desensitized to normal women, to what is considered to be normal sex. In the case of marriage, you may lose your desire for your wife and time with your children. As a child, you may adopt a distorted view of healthy sexuality. As an adolescent, you may initiate a habit that can have tremendous consequences. The tragic irony is that, while the desire for the highest levels of sexual fulfillment are likely the motive for many adolescents’ first peek into pornography, the attainment of that universal longing is most likely to be had through monogamy and regular participation in meaningful relationships.


Resource: http://www.pornharms.com/