October 27, 2014
Statement By Donna Rice Hughes Innocent Children Are Among The Internet P*rn*graphy Pandemic's Greatest Casualties
Statement by Donna Rice Hughes,
President and CEO of Enough Is Enough®®
Regarding the 27th Annual White Ribbon Against P*rnography Week (WRAP), October 27-Nov. 1
October 27, 2014
"The National White Ribbon Against P*rnography Week (WRAP) brings together hundreds of organizations and concerned citizens to educate the public on the harms caused by pornography and the resources available to those affected. The harms of pornography on children, women and men in cultures worldwide, has been called the 'largest unregulated social experiment in human history' and represents a hidden public health hazard we cannot not ignore.
No one is immune and innocent children are among the pandemic's greatest casualties. Recent peer-reviewed research shows the extreme and deviant nature Internet p*rnography is having a destructive impact on the mental, emotional and sexual health of adolescents, including addictive and even criminal behavior. Research also shows that pornography can lead to addiction in both youth and adults and fuels violence against women, sex trafficking and the destruction of marriages.
The Internet p*rn industry has exploded over the past twenty years and makes more than $3,000 a second. According to Family Safe Media, The United States is the largest producer worldwide of both pornographic DVDs and web material. Since the advent of the Internet in the mid-90s, the federal obscenity statues that make it a crime to produce and distribute hard-core graphic p*rnography have not been aggressively enforced online including a 'hands-off-the-net' approach to Internet obscenity prosecutions by the current administration. The failure of the White House and the Department of Justice to aggressively enforce the obscenity statutes has shifted the full responsibility squarely on the shoulder of parents, schools, libraries and other end users.
The Child Online Protection Commission report to Congress in 2000 included the recommendation that in order to 'deter illegal activity on the Internet', the government must 'fund aggressive programs to investigate, prosecute and report violations of federal and state obscenity laws...' This is a moral imperative.
We urge President Obama to ensure that his next Attorney General make the implementation of the Commissions' recommendation top priority. No longer should the highest law enforcement official in the land be able to cherry pick which laws will be enforced and which will be ignored. Every child deserves a protected age of innocence and the opportunity to thrive during childhood. Their hearts and minds are innocent, tender, and trusting and need to be safeguarded from the negative influences of increasingly violent and sexualized media.
This global public health issue must be addressed holistically. Parents, corporate America and most importantly, our government must share the responsibility to protect the younger generations, and we must do so now - together-not just during White Ribbon Against P*rnography Week but throughout the entire year."
About Donna Rice Hughes
Donna Rice Hughes, CEO and President of Enough Is Enough®®, is an Internet safety advocate, author and speaker. She is frequently sought out for her expertise by national media outlets, including (NBC) The Today Show, CNN and Fox News. She served as a Child Online Protection Commissioner, the U.S. Attorneys General's Internet Safety Technical Task Force and won the 2013 Women in Technology Leadership Award for "Social Impact".She is the Executive Producer and host of EIE's Emmy and Telly award-winning Internet Safety 101®® multi-media program. The adult curriculum was developed in partnership with the Department of Justice to prevent Internet-initiated crimes against children by educating, equipping and empowering parents, educators and caring adults with the knowledge and resources needed to protect children from online p*rnography, child p*rnography, sexual predators and cyber bullies, as well as cyber security risks and dangers related to social networking, online gaming and mobile devices.
About WRAP Week
The White Ribbon Against P*rnography (WRAP) Campaign began with one woman in Butler, PA in 1987. Norma Norris heard a sermon against p*rnography delivered by the pastor of her Catholic parish. Msgr. Francis Glenn lamented that local prosecutors and law enforcement had been deluded into thinking that people didn't care about the hardcore porn being sold in her community. Norma looked at the full pews in the church and said, "That can't be; we're here and we care!" Norma then gave herself the challenge to inspire her community and to send out the message: WE CARE! WE COUNT! Norma thought the plan had to be simple, inexpensive, and something to catch the Imagination. Soon after, the idea of a simple white ribbon as a symbol of decency came to her, and a movement was born. For more information visit http://ncse.fiatinsight.com/
About Enough Is Enough®®
Enough Is Enough®® (EIE) is a national non-profit organization, the mission for which is to make the Internet safer for children and families. Since 1994, EIE has been a national leader in the efforts to combat Internet p*rnography, child p*rnography, and sexual predation,incorporating a three-pronged approach. First, educating the public about Internet dangers and equipping them with safety solutions. Secondly, partnering within the technology industry to develop and implement viable, family-friendly technological safety solutions and best practices. And thirdly, promoting legal solutions that call for aggressive enforcement of existing laws and enactment of new laws to prevent the online exploitation and victimization of children EIE is dedicated to advancing awareness and solutions to these problems that promote equality, fairness and respect for human dignity with shared responsibilities between the public, the technology industry, and the legal community. EIE stands for freedom of speech as defined by the Constitution of the United States; for a culture where all people are respected and valued; for a childhood with a protected period of innocence; for healthy sexuality; and for a society free from sexual exploitation. www.enough.org;www.internetsafety101.org; www.friendlyfreewifi.org