Pornography: A Link to Human Trafficking
Is there a link between pornography and human trafficking?
Pornography is like a big bag filled with many different kinds of poisonous snakes.
According to Fight the New Drug, in 2015, 4.3 billion hours of pornography was watched on a single website (Pornhub). 88% of this pornography depicts violence accompanying sex acts. And watching pornography has been shown to increase marital infidelity by 300%.[1]
Porn distorts reality. It changes the brain. It’s bad. And yes, it’s linked with human trafficking.
Read this article from Fight the New Drug on How Porn Can Fuel Sex Trafficking (trigger warning: this article contains graphic content): Pornography is a “gateway” industry.
Where do these men and women come from? Are they being forced to pose and perform for the cameras? What might begin with posing may turn into stripping and then prostitution. Those who view pornography may become desensitized and dissatisfied and seek to move beyond the screen to the real thing. Pornography then becomes the rehearsal for prostitution and sexual violence.[2] Pornography fuel is fueled by demand.
“Technology makes the exploitation of people, including children, easy and readily available.” [3]
But, let’s go deeper. Pornography objectifies human beings. It turns people into things to be used. Pornography commodifies. It’s a distortion of God’s desire for us to be men and women together, naked and unashamed, living within a covenant of love and blessing.
Viewing pornography is not an innocent, private act, a sin between a person and God. It’s a disease that affects and impacts the entire community. Pornography is destructive to God’s desires for our well-being. It distorts and destroys the community. It is the enemy of love.
But, let’s go deeper still. What is the pull? Can we identify the broken places inside of us that are soothed and thrilled by viewing pornography? Will we allow God to heal the pain and shame? Will we submit to confession, repentance, and resist the pull?
Three application points:
First, some are more susceptible than others. For some, the addiction is hard to resist. We ought not to judge and condemn, but reach out with compassion and invite the wounded to community. If pornography is a substitute for true love, companionship, and community, let us all make space for all to experience God’s love (and ours), friendship, and acceptance.
Second, let us speak out against the sexualization in our culture. We can turn off the television and not watch some shows. We can purchase products that don’t sell with sex. Third, we can do a better job at protecting our children and youth. We can work with our children and teens to protect them from destructive marketing. We can process with our families what they see, hear, and are learning in school.
A last word: God can bring healing to the sexually addicted. As agents of hope and healing, we can respond with love to the victims and even the perpetrators. Even when overwhelmed we trust in God to save and deliver us. During Holy Week we cry, “Hosanna!”, which means “Come save quickly.” We cry Hosanna! Come, Lord Jesus, and save us from this great evil.
*Please note: Some of the resources below contain graphic descriptions of trafficking and abuse.
Watch: Porn Fuels The Demand For Sex Trafficking — Truth About Porn, Fight the New Drug
Learn: Porn and Human Trafficking: The Facts You Need to Know, The Exodus Road
Read: How the Porn Industry Profits From Non Consensual Content and Abuse, Fight the New Drug
Watch: The Story Project’s Human Trafficking Awareness Training
Protect: Check out Covenant Eyes’ resources, including a web browser accountability tool.
Pray: Dear Lord, please be with those experiencing and those recovering from sexual abuse, protect those most vulnerable to exploitation. Please help us to see that we are all made in Your image and that each life is priceless. Lord, please intervene for those experiencing this trauma and heartache. We pray now for those dealing with sexual impurity, pornography addiction, be with the Lord and help them to also find healing. Please cleanse our minds and guard our hearts against this sin.
Are you struggling with pornography? You can find resources to quit porn at Covenant Eyes and Fight the New Drug. Sources:[1] https://fightthenewdrug.org[2] https://everaccountable.com/blog/the-link-between-pornography-and-human-trafficking/[3] https://www.journalofcounselorpractice.com/uploads/6/8/9/4/68949193/ibp1012019_%5Bpubcopy%5D.pdf