How Pornography Impacts Mental Health

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Author’s note: I apologize for not being active here like before, but I am committed to getting good grades in my schoolwork, as well as making sure my health is a priority. I try to write when I have off time, and one of my finals just passed, so I was able to write this article. Thanks for the support and I hope you enjoy this one!

Whenever people begin consuming pornography, it's usually to fill a void in their life. People who struggle with loneliness, anxiety, or depression will turn to pornography to cope with their declining mental health. Most people believe that pornography is a "healthy" outlet to "deal with your struggles." This couldn't be further from the truth. Rather than feeling a release from stress or anxiety, this can actually fuel your issues with mental health. Porn negatively impacts your mental health.

Porn's impact on the brain

A quick explanation of how your brain works in relation to addiction. Your brain has a "reward center," as described by Fight The New Drug. Every organism on the planet has this. This specific center is responsible for releasing the drug, dopamine, which is what causes your brain to react positively to something. You might get that feeling when you eat a great meal, you had a great workout, someone famous liked your post, etc. When you introduce a "drug," dopamine gets released. Your brain begins to warp itself to find more ways to get this "pleasure." Therefore, the more you introduce said "drug," the more your brains changes to get that "high" again."

Fight The New Drug stated the following: "The more the dopamine process is stimulated, the more it can begin to warp an individual’s perception of the world around them. Seemingly everyday items and situations—maybe particular smells, images, or places—can become triggers that spike the desire and cravings for whatever brings on the next high." So the more you consume porn, the more the brain warps to find ways to get that high experienced by watching porn.

There's also the part of the brain that only applies to humans. The prefrontal cortex is mainly responsible for putting the brakes on that Netflix binge you are on by saying, "Hey! Don't you have a final this week? We need to study." If you weigh the consequences, you're using the prefrontal cortex part of your brain! Unfortunately, we humans also have hypofrontality, which is responsible for giving into these bad urges. "Hypofrontality is such a key part of the addictive experience, it’s considered one of the four main markers for addiction (the others being sensitization, desensitization, and dysfunctional stress)," shared Fight The New Drug. This part of your brain will give into these unhealthy urges, and continues to control you the more you consume that drug.

Porn's impact on mental health

Porn addiction is a double edged sword. First, it warps your brain into wanting to get "high" by consuming more pornography, while simultaneously deteriorating your brain's understanding of relationships or attachment. Most people are not willing to share this dirty secret, so they keep their addiction to themselves. This leads people down a lonely road, which just fuels their stress, sadness, anger, and more. You are not connecting with other people. You're just connecting with actors faking what love and a healthy relationship looks like. One study shared that among university students who consumed pornography, it was reported there was a significant effect on their mental health. Porn only increases your depression, loneliness, or anxiety. "Pornography provides temporary relief, but ultimately induces greater feelings of loneliness and isolation," states Grant Hilary Brenner, M.D.

Porn also sells a fake version of what men and women are supposed to be and look like. Women are defined by their beauty, whereas men are defined by the size of their you-know-what. A man is a man if he dominates and disrespects a woman, and a woman is seen as a woman if she is submissive to this sort of behavior. Objectification can also hurt your mental health and self-esteem, because you think this woman or man is with their partner because they're so good-looking. You begin to compare yourselves, which can make you sad because you think you're not good enough because you don't look like the men or women in these videos. A different study shared the following: "Previous male partners’ pornography use was also indirectly associated with body surveillance and body shame through the internalization of cultural beauty standards." Porn sells lies about what relationships are and what people should look like. It steals your happiness.

Consumers aren't the only ones who suffer

 

It's not just the consumers' whose mental health deteriorates. Performers struggle too, and it should be addressed. Many actors and actresses in the adult entertainment industry have chosen to end their lives because they were seen as products, instead of valuable human beings with a better purpose for their life. The porn industry places profits over people. Don't believe their lies.

Conclusion

There isn't enough discussion on how poor your mental health becomes from porn addiction. It causes your mind to withdraw from social interactions by finding a high that isn't real. Unfortunately, pornography is widely accepted by society. Nobody wants to talk about the long-term implications caused by consuming porn. That doesn't mean all hope is lost. You can fight this addiction. You deserve better. 

How Traffickers Recruit Their Victims

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Whenever we picture what a trafficking situation involves, there's a stigma that it's done by strangers through kidnapping. That a young girl goes to a foreign country and gets taken. Hollywood and the media certainly gives an interesting version of what human trafficking entails. However, these perceptions are untrue. Most cases of human trafficking don't involve kidnappings and isn't done by strangers. Traffickers use nefarious tactics that make their crime untraceable to the ordinary human eye. Anyone can be a victim of human trafficking, and anyone can be a trafficker.

Traffickers get their victims through manipulation. Instead of using violence, they use mind games. In the recruitment phase, traffickers rarely use violence to get a victim. There are a few main recruitment tactics when it comes to trafficking individuals for sexual exploitation or forced labor. 

Boyfriending

This term is exactly how it sounds. A trafficker will appear as whatever that child or adult needs them to be: a friend, parent, girlfriend/boyfriend, or mentor. "Boyfriending" is how a trafficker gains that person's trust, by giving them whatever they need. Money, new clothes, constant attention, flattery, promises of a happy life, the list goes on. Traffickers always target people in vulnerable situations. Children in foster care, a woman who just escaped an abusive boyfriend, drug addicts, or homeless. It's like your vulnerability is an invisible target on your back that abusers and traffickers can find.

An example comes from Stop Modern Day Slavery. An interviewee and survivor, Kimberly Blitz, shared how she met some man when she was 14 (after dealing with personal loss and moving to a new city), and that man eventually became her trafficker. Kimberly shared, "I thought things were great between us until our first fight where he ended up hitting me. I remember thinking how wrong it was, but at the same time justifying it. The next day he showed up with flowers, crying about how he never meant to hurt me. And then he said the three words I was craving to hear: 'I love you.'"

Boyfriending is probably the most common way traffickers recruit their victims. By using psychological and emotional abuse, it makes it seem impossible for their victim to leave, let alone tell their family or law enforcement.  By pretending to care or show love, a trafficker gains power over their potential victim, because that person thinks they cannot live or survive without the trafficker. 

False Advertisements

Traffickers will tell people or post online about some well-paying job, travels, or modeling/acting gigs. Traffickers ensure the advertisement looks legitimate, so there is no doubt surrounding your mind. People who are desperate for money or a job will view the advertisement and think it is legit, only to learn the hard way it was a lie. If it involves travels to another country, that person or persons involved will seize documents and essentially hold you captive, forcing you to do horrendous things.

Such was the case for Jane Doe, in an article shared by Fight The New Drug. This Jane Doe would become another victim to the GirlsDoPorn organization. She was told that she was auditioning for a fitness modeling job. Instead, she was flown out to San Diego, where she was forced to sign a contract, fed drugs and alcohol, and forced to perform for a porn video. She was raped for six hours. Many other women experienced similar situations from GirlsDoPorn. The GirlsDoPorn founder was wanted by the FBI, and was caught in Spain back in December. He is currently being charged with "sex trafficking, production of child pornography, sex trafficking of a minor, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments." Others involved in the company were caught and charged with sex trafficking. False advertisements are commonly used by traffickers.

Familial trafficking

This is exactly how it sounds. Many people think human trafficking happens between strangers, but in many cases, traffickers target someone they know personally. According to the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline, these are the statistics of people brought into trafficking by someone they knew in 2020:

• 42% were brought into trafficking by a member of their own families. (Sex trafficking)
• 39% were recruited via an intimate partner or a marriage proposition. (Sex trafficking)
• 69% were recruited by a potential or current employer. (Forced labor)
• 15% were recruited into trafficking by a member of their own family. (Forced labor)
• 5% by an intimate partner or marriage proposition. (Forced labor)

Polaris Project shares several stories (which you can read or watch) of survivors of familial trafficking. It's easier for traffickers to target someone they know, since they already have that individual's trust and love, which they can manipulate against them. In the story of Sam, he explained the reason he never told anyone of his father trafficking him. "I loved him and I wanted him to be proud of me. I wanted him to love me as unconditionally as I loved him. To get that, it was my job to do what dad wanted me to do – and not to tell anyone. That was how I would have a father-son relationship." 

Conclusion

Human trafficking doesn't happen in a vacuum. It's not a black or white issue. As you can see, it's very easy to be manipulated by people who claim to have your best interests at heart. It's important to be aware of these recruitment tactics, so we can know how to recognize if this is happening and prevent it from happening to ourselves and our loved ones. 

The History of William Wilberforce

William Wilberforce is considered one of the biggest heroes in the anti-trafficking movement. Seriously, if you Google "Human trafficking quotes," one of the top results you will find comes from Wilberforce. But why is he such a revered individual? What significance does he have when it comes to human trafficking? William Wilberforce was one of the main individuals responsible for ending the slave trade, then slavery, in England. His life is certainly an incredible one, as well as an interesting and inspiring one.

William Wilberforce was born into a wealthy family. Wilberforce was considered a troublemaker. He never took his studies seriously, as his "neighbor" (or roommate) in college would share: "When he [Wilberforce] returned late in the evening to his rooms, he would summon me to join him…. He was so winning and amusing that I often sat up half the night with him, much to the detriment of my attendance at lectures the next day." However, William had an interest in politics. In the 1780s, Wilberforce would run for Parliament at the age of 21, and won. Sadly, Wilberforce began to realize his life was seemingly pointless. Why was he involved in politics? What was the point of life? These were some of the questions he pondered. Wilberforce began to do some self-reflection, where he would learn the truth of the Gospel, and accepted Christ into his life in the late 1780s. 

Still unsure what he was to do in life, Wilberforce sought out John Newton, the hymn writer famous for Amazing Grace. Wilberforce was prepared to leave politics and seek out Christ. Newton, before converting to Christianity, was a well-known salve trader. John Newton convinced William to not leave politics, and to use his position to make an impact against slavery. Already having knowledge of the slave trade, Wilberforce agreed. He also wrote his mission statement: "God Almighty has placed before me two great Objects: - the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners."

What Wilberforce wasn't prepared for was the long fight ahead of him. It's no different from today. Modern day slavery provides economic benefit. When politicians' economic benefit is endangered, they won't easily let go. This is what Wilberforce was fighting. For roughly 20 years, Wilberforce would write bills, with the help of his longtime friend, William Pitt, only to have these bills defeated. Wilberforce eventually retired in 1807, due to his consistent health problems.

While serving in politics, Wilberforce also worked on his other calling, in addition to ending the slave trade: the "reformation of manners." Wilberforce was involved in several philanthropic causes, earning him the nickname "prime minister of a cabinet of philanthropists." Some say he was involved with nearly 70 causes! Wilberforce's work in ending the slave trade would come to a head soon.

In 1807, Parliament voted to abolish the slave trade in England. Wilberforce also helped to end slavery for good. He learned that an Emancipation bill was being written called the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. Sadly, William Wilberforce passed away on July 29th, 1833. 

William's work in fighting the slave trade is incredible. He never gave up. He fought for what he believed in. This is something we can all relate to. I hope you found his story as intriguing and inspiring as I did. 

The Hard Truth on Labor Trafficking

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National Human Trafficking Hotline

There is a common misconception that human trafficking consists only sexual exploitation. This couldn't be further from the truth. While sexual exploitation does make up most cases of human trafficking, there is another type that makes up nearly as many cases: labor trafficking. Labor trafficking, commonly referred to as forced labor, is the second most common type of human trafficking, yet doesn't get nearly as much attention as sex trafficking. Labor trafficking is a horrendous crime, and deserves to be recognized. As January is National Human Trafficking Awareness month, I will be writing articles dedicated to human trafficking.

What is labor trafficking? Defined by the Human Trafficking Hotline, "Labor trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which individuals perform labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion." The top 5 states for labor trafficking are the following: California, Florida, Texas, Georgia, and New York. Why is labor trafficking so prevalent? Unfortunately, for the same reason sex trafficking is prevalent: supply and demand. 

Labor trafficking has, unfortunately, become mainstream in our society. Consumers demand the latest products, the newest clothes, or the best foods. Agriculture, textiles, and manufacturing are some of the top industries where labor trafficking occurs. Traffickers take advantage of vulnerable individuals to meet these demands, because this makes money. According to the Bureau of International Labor Affairs, "The most common agricultural goods listed are sugarcane, cotton, coffee, tobacco, cattle, rice, and fish. In the manufacturing sector, bricks, garments, textiles, footwear, carpets, and fireworks appear most frequently. In mined or quarried goods, gold, coal and diamonds are most common." These items are certainly shocking, because you probably buy these things a lot.

Why is labor trafficking so horrible? People living under these conditions are rarely paid (if paid at all), and forced to work in dangerous conditions. They're forced to work long, hard hours, with little to no breaks. It's backbreaking labor. They're also not allowed to leave or the trafficker threatens them (usually with deportation, violence, or harm to their families). It's an evil practice. In an interview for FRONTLINE documentary Trafficked in America, a former Trillium worker revealed how the children forced to work were constantly threatened if they didn't do their work or complained about the pay. "Many of my friends told me that they received death threats — they would kill their father, their mother — if they didn’t want to pay or work." Trillium is currently under investigation for allegedly trafficking illegal minors for labor.

This is why many experts believe that labor trafficking cases actually surpass sex trafficking. The reason we see sex trafficking is higher is because it is more mainstream and somewhat easier to detect. We won't know how prevalent labor trafficking is unless the media, the government, law enforcement, and even society recognizes the seriousness of labor trafficking.

How can you recognize the signs of labor trafficking? Based on Polaris Project's model, here are the top red flags you should be aware of for labor trafficking:

• Feel pressured by their employer to stay in a job or situation they want to leave
• Do not have control of their passport or other identity documents
• Owe money to an employer or recruiter and/or not being paid what they were promised or are owed
• Are living and working in isolated conditions, largely cut off from interaction with others or support systems
• Appear to be monitored by another person when talking or interacting with others
• Are living in dangerous, overcrowded or inhumane conditions provided by an employer
• Are being threatened by their boss with deportation or other harm
• Are working in dangerous conditions, without proper safety gear, training, adequate breaks and other protections

You can check out Polaris Project to learn more facts about labor trafficking.

Labor trafficking is equally evil as sex trafficking. Traffickers take advantage of the most vulnerable among us, and use them for profits. The best way you can fight this issue is by becoming a conscious consumer. By paying attention to what you buy, you can make an impact against these evil traffickers. You want to make a statement? Buy organic groceries or from a local farmer. Buy products from certified, transparent and responsible companies that place people over products. Tell your friends and family about this, and help others become informed in becoming a conscious consumer. If we all do our part, we can make a difference in this fight.

Child Marriage Should Be Abolished in the United States

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Children under the age of 18 aren't allowed to drink, vote, or get tattoos. In the United States, however, it is legal for them to get married. How does that make sense? Child marriage is legal in majority of the U.S., and it should be abolished.

Most people against child marriage consider it a form of forced marriage. Child marriage is defined as "any formal marriage or informal union between a child under the age of 18 and an adult or another child." Child marriage is defined as "any formal marriage or informal union between a child under the age of 18 and an adult or another child." The majority of children married are girls. Between the years 2000 - 2018, nearly 300,000 minors were wedded. In most cases, these kids are married to a much older adult. Currently, there is no federal law banning child marriages. Now, how many states have outright banned child marriage? Only six. Delaware, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and New York. Six out of the 50 states have made it illegal to marry if under the age of 18.

What are the problems with child marriage, aside from the moral outrage we all feel? For starters, there's the impact on mental health from child marriages for the victims. Most victims struggle with low self-esteem and PTSD. Child brides/grooms have less rights and resources to get out of their situation. Unicef shared that girls who are forced to marry before the age of 18 are more likely to experience domestic violence. The imbalance of power, large age-gap, and lack of education, many child brides are likely to be abused or violated. Because domestic violence shelters are geared towards women, girls are unable to seek refuge. There are limited resources for divorce in child marriages, nor are they able to get an order of protection. Victims of child marriage aren't allowed to escape.

Additionally, many girls married young usually drop out (or are forced to drop out) of school. "They have worse economic and health outcomes than their unmarried peers, which are eventually passed down to their own children, further straining a country’s capacity to provide quality health and education services." Let's not forget the sexual abuse that can arise from these marriages. When an adult "has sex" with a minor, this is declared as statutory rape and that adult is charged as a sex offender. When that child just so happens to be that adult's marital partner, the law changes.

So what can be done? Continuously being aware of this crime, for starters. I was shocked to learn that child marriage is legal in majority of this country. Some states do require that you have to be a certain age to be married, but there must be parental consent. This simply means you, as a marital clerk, could see a young girl bawling her eyes out begging not to be married, and you have no authority to go against the family's wishes. Parental consent shouldn't be an option. If they're under the age of 18, it should be illegal. No other way around it. If we cannot protect our children, then the discussion for human rights is irrelevant. Child marriage should be abolished in the United States. we cannot protect our children, then the discussion for human rights is irrelevant. Child marriage should be abolished in the United States.

Eight Impactful Reasons To Give Up Pornography

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"Porn is free because you pay with your soul." I fully believe in this phrase. Watching porn is considered a way to "destress" or "unwind" after a long day or to cope with some hardship in life, the same way alcohol or drugs can be used to "deal" with life. Unfortunately, these three things cause more harm than good. There are many reasons to give up pornography, but here are eight impactful reasons to give up porn.

#1: Give up supporting an industry that profits from abuse and toxic narratives.

People don't understand the normalization of horrible crimes in pornography. Rape, incest, racism, sexual violence, sex trafficking, CSAM, these are crimes that should make everyone disgusted. Instead, pornography makes it sexually appealing. Research proves that "as few as 1 in 3 and as many as 9 in 10 porn scenes contain physical violence or aggression." Don't support an industry that makes horrible crimes "sexy." There is nothing sexually appealing about any of this.

#2: Porn destroys your mental health.

There is a correlation between how porn consumption is linked to lowered mental health. People who consume porn are more likely to struggle with loneliness, anxiety, depression, or life satisfaction. Having a porn addiction is a dirty little secret nobody likes to have. You've never heard someone brag about having an alcohol or drug addiction. Porn is no different. In addition to this secrecy, you isolate yourself to consume more porn. It's an unhealthy cycle that feeds off each other. Most people who give up porn, however, have noticed their mental health improve.

#3: You can form proper, meaningful relationships.

Pornography sets unrealistic standards of what a relationship should be. Pornography destroys relationships. It is another form of cheating. And it's not only romantic partners in terms of relationships. Families can get destroyed by a family member's porn habits. 

#4: The research doesn't lie on porn's effects on an individual.

You can easily Google the hundreds of studies on how pornography negatively impacts people. The research doesn't lie. The facts don't lie. Pornography damages.

#5: Boost your self-esteem.

This bounces off of #3. Pornography sells a lie of how men and women should look and behave. Instead of believing that a woman's breasts or body should be a certain size, or a man's penis should be a certain length, you will appreciate your partner for who he/she is. People think these unrealistic standards are what is desired. It's all lies. You're built the way God made you, and it's perfect.

#6: You can do more productive things.

By giving up pornography, you will have more free time. You will be able to do things that make you happy. Going to the gym, hanging out with friends, learning a new skill. These things will only make you happy, which will boost your mental health.

#7: Stand by survivors.

Many survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking, or rape (either as an adult or child) have shared how their abuse was filmed and uploaded onto popular porn sites. Back in November of 2020, 40 "Jane Does" filed a lawsuit against Pornhub for profiting off of their abuse videos and refusing to properly moderate what videos/images were uploaded. The porn industry exploits survivors of horrendous crimes. By giving up porn, you are showing you support and stand by survivors. 

#8: You'll be free.

This one doesn't need any more explanation. Instead of being a slave to this addiction, you'll be able to lead yourself. Not rely on some counterfeit version of happiness.

Conclusion

I've often thought about why I choose to speak out against pornography. After learning all of what I know, there is no way I can stay silent. Watching porn is damaging to everyone, from the people in the videos to you yourself. So what can be done? Speak out! Inform your friends and family. I always say education is key.

If you or someone you know is struggling with porn addiction, please listen closely. You aren't a bad person. You're human. We all struggle and make mistakes. That doesn't mean hope is lost. Check out Love Always Ministries or Fortify as resources. Pornography is a stain on society. It's an incredibly difficult habit to kick, but it isn't impossible. 

Follow me on Instagram at @youngpatriotrising for my latest Reel for Fight The New Drug's #RepTheMovement Day!

When Women are the Traffickers

Whenever we hear about perpetrators of human trafficking, we think of men. After all, the majority of human traffickers (aka pimps) are male. But what happens when a woman is a trafficker? Ghislaine Maxwell broke the stereotype that women are not (or cannot be) traffickers. She recruited and trafficked young girls for Jeffery Epstein. She is 100% guilty. Unfortunately, much of western society doesn't think women can traffic. "Just as there is no one type of trafficking victim, perpetrators of this crime also vary," shares the U.S. Department of Justice. To believe that women are incapable of being human traffickers is a dangerous lie.

Human trafficking is defined as "a crime that involves compelling or coercing a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in commercial sex acts." Traffickers target vulnerable individuals, and exploit their weakness for profit. Through grooming and manipulation, a trafficker places their victim under their control completely. So how can a woman be successful as a trafficker? Well, cultural biases make it easier for women to traffic. 

Women are perceived as trustworthy, gentle, caring, or loving. Motherly would be the word for this. If your child ran up to a woman, you wouldn't feel overly uneasy. The same cannot be said about a man. Additionally, Hollywood has created the image that human trafficking only involves men as the perpetrators, women can only be the victims, and that some form of kidnapping and/or physical harm is involved. These are all lies. Human trafficking depends on mental manipulation, not physical. Women can talk to a potential victim and be seen as a good listener or trusting, not having any ill intentions. That makes female recruiters even more effective. A young girl will trust a woman, because that woman can be seen as a motherly or sisterly figure. Many women who traffic for the same reason a man traffics: for money and power. 

A law-based article shared by The Albany Government Law Review stated the following about Hollywood's perception of human trafficking: "In contemporary Americanized western cultures, such as that in the United States, violence and aggression are habitually interpreted or characterized as masculine features. Observers claim that when violence is perpetrated by a woman, her behavior is frequently not interpreted as the action of an autonomous, psychologically sound adult, but rather as a product of mental or emotional illness, due to gender-based oppression or exploitation, attendant to a male culprit." Victims can be recruited more easily because a woman is perceived as trusting, and seen as less threatening than a man. 

There are many countries that don't have the same view of women like American western cultures. Countries like Nigeria, Israel, or Venezuela view women as much of a threat as men. In Nigeria and Thailand, it's actually common that women are the ones spearheading a trafficking operation. Women, just like men, can cause equal damage in human trafficking. Sadly, there isn't much research in the United States on female traffickers, and that shouldn't be the case.

Now, does this mean women who traffic weren't victims before? No. There are many cases where a woman was trafficked, and her trafficker led her into recruiting other girls. In an interview with Stop Modern Day Slavery, trafficking survivor Elizabeth Quiroz shared how her pimp, through exploitation, created a blurred view of right and wrong. Quiroz almost trafficked another young girl to her boyfriend, believing she was helping this girl, and that her boyfriend would be proud. This is just one example. While there are many women who traffic out of greed, we cannot ignore women who traffic after being trafficked themselves.

Assuming someone can be a victim of human trafficking or domestic violence based on gender alone is regressive. The same way we cannot assume perpetrators of human trafficking are one gender. Women can be traffickers, and we cannot continue to pretend this doesn't exist. Ghislaine Maxwell is proof of that.