Hey Fighters,
As the year ends, you might be considering some new resolutions. Maybe you’re hoping to start taking daily walks or finally learn to play an instrument, or maybe you want to spend more time reading your favorite books and less time scrolling on TikTok.
Whatever your goals are for this trip around the sun, have you considered adding this movement for love to your list yet? This movement is for everyone, and before you start thinking that it’s too controversial to consider as a resolution…hear me out.
I’m fairly skeptical, and it takes a lot for me to buy into any idea, so several years ago, when I first found out about Fight the New Drug, I did my homework on this issue. Throughout my life, I’ve spent a lot of time trying to understand issues such as sexual assault, rape culture, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, gender inequality, mental health, body image, racism, and others—and I never guessed that learning more about the harmful effects of pornography would explain pieces of so many of the issues I care about.
After diving into the research and personal stories and having conversations about this topic with people in my life, I made a resolution myself to be a voice for love and a voice against pornography and sexual exploitation—even if it doesn’t always seem like it’s the popular thing to do.
Just like any other Fighter, I have many reasons for being passionate about this movement, but they all boil down to one thing: Porn impacts all of us.
Porn impacts all of us
Although it might not seem like it, the harmful effects of pornography do not discriminate. Regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, political persuasions, hair color, favorite food, your dog’s name, or any other diversifying factor—porn can (and does) impact us all.
Maybe you’ve experienced the effects of consuming porn first-hand or in your relationships. Or it’s possible you’ve seen the impacts in the life of someone close to you as they’ve been impacted by pornography. Maybe you’re sitting there thinking that porn has never negatively impacted you or anyone you know personally, so what’s the big deal? Well, chances are pretty good that porn has impacted your life and the lives of those around you, even if you didn’t notice.
Get the facts
Real talk: the porn industry taps into something that is an entirely natural and normal part of life—sex—and because of that, in our society, we often tell ourselves that porn is “just sex” and that it’s completely natural. When you look closer, it’s apparent that’s not the case.
Without getting too academic here, it’s important for us to note that there is an abundance of research, and countless personal accounts, that have helped us understand how porn impacts individuals, relationships, and society. Thanks to that research, we know that consuming porn changes the brain; it can even become compulsive or addictive, affect sexual tastes, negatively impact relationships (both romantic and otherwise), increase the risk of sexual dysfunction, encourage violence, fuel sex trafficking, promote gender inequality and discrimination, and the list goes on and on.
Ultimately, the internet has changed our world and has made some of the most explicit, violent, and degrading material imaginable available and easily accessible to everyone, and it isn’t doing anyone any favors. Whether you personally consume it or not, we are all living in a world where every single scenario has been warped by porn at some point—and that changes the way we, as a society, see the world and each other.
At the end of the day, when we look beyond personal political persuasions and beliefs, this movement is really about people. A diverse group of people across the globe, with unique backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs, fighting for love and intimacy that isn’t tainted by exploitation. Because porn can impact anyone, this is a movement for everyone.
New Year’s resolution time
The good news is that each one of us can actually make a difference and be a voice against sexual exploitation. We can all fight for real relationships, real sex, and real love. If you haven’t had time to educate yourself on this topic yet, don’t worry; it’s not too late! There’s always time to learn more so that you can make an informed decision about pornography.
Make a resolution to learn more about the harmful effects of pornography this year and to have healthy and productive conversations about this topic. Choose now to speak up the next time you hear someone casually praise porn or to seek help if you’re experiencing the harms of pornography in your own life. Make a resolution to help someone overcome a struggle with pornography (without shaming them!). Learn more about the free resources Fight the New Drug can offer to help you with this resolution, as well as the many other organizations fighting sexual exploitation.
This movement needs each of us because porn can impact all of us. Whatever you decide is right for you, I hope you’ll join me in fighting for love while also fighting against exploitation!
Sincerely,
Natale
Executive Director of Fight the New Drug
Your Support Matters Now More Than Ever
Most kids today are exposed to porn by the age of 12. By the time they’re teenagers, 75% of boys and 70% of girls have already viewed itRobb, M.B., & Mann, S. (2023). Teens and pornography. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.Copy —often before they’ve had a single healthy conversation about it.
Even more concerning: over half of boys and nearly 40% of girls believe porn is a realistic depiction of sexMartellozzo, E., Monaghan, A., Adler, J. R., Davidson, J., Leyva, R., & Horvath, M. A. H. (2016). “I wasn’t sure it was normal to watch it”: A quantitative and qualitative examination of the impact of online pornography on the values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of children and young people. Middlesex University, NSPCC, & Office of the Children’s Commissioner.Copy . And among teens who have seen porn, more than 79% of teens use it to learn how to have sexRobb, M.B., & Mann, S. (2023). Teens and pornography. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.Copy . That means millions of young people are getting sex ed from violent, degrading content, which becomes their baseline understanding of intimacy. Out of the most popular porn, 33%-88% of videos contain physical aggression and nonconsensual violence-related themesFritz, N., Malic, V., Paul, B., & Zhou, Y. (2020). A descriptive analysis of the types, targets, and relative frequency of aggression in mainstream pornography. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(8), 3041-3053. doi:10.1007/s10508-020-01773-0Copy Bridges et al., 2010, “Aggression and Sexual Behavior in Best-Selling Pornography Videos: A Content Analysis,” Violence Against Women.Copy .
From increasing rates of loneliness, depression, and self-doubt, to distorted views of sex, reduced relationship satisfaction, and riskier sexual behavior among teens, porn is impacting individuals, relationships, and society worldwideFight the New Drug. (2024, May). Get the Facts (Series of web articles). Fight the New Drug.Copy .
This is why Fight the New Drug exists—but we can’t do it without you.
Your donation directly fuels the creation of new educational resources, including our awareness-raising videos, podcasts, research-driven articles, engaging school presentations, and digital tools that reach youth where they are: online and in school. It equips individuals, parents, educators, and youth with trustworthy resources to start the conversation.
Will you join us? We’re grateful for whatever you can give—but a recurring donation makes the biggest difference. Every dollar directly supports our vital work, and every individual we reach decreases sexual exploitation. Let’s fight for real love: