April 2024: April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Culture Reframed is the premier science-based, global organization working to stop the emotional, behavioral, and sexual harms of pornography to children and youth. Join our online community to receive updates on our work, announcements of upcoming events, and the latest news related to pornography and youth.
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time for communities and organizations across the nation to elevate the importance of creating systems, programs, and policies that support child victims of abuse.
In this month’s newsletter, you can read about our new initiative, a partnership with Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) across the U.S. to drive awareness of child abuse, specifically as it relates to pornography exposure. Pornography influences child sexual abuse and is associated with a growing trend of child-on-child sexual abuse. Together with a multidisciplinary team of professionals, we’re supporting CACs so they are better equipped to care for children experiencing such abuse.
Many people think that porn is a harmless pastime for kids. But scientific studies published in peer-reviewed journals tell otherwise. Most online porn depicts violence and abuse, which poses real harm to the psychological and developmental well-being of young people. You can readily find summaries of this research in our unique online Academic Library, the only such database freely available to the public. We invite you to explore it here and share this resource with others who may be interested.
– Eric Silverman, PhD
Research Associate, Culture Reframed
Culture Reframed’s Partnership with CACs Against Child Abuse
According to the National Children’s Alliance, more than 600,000 children are abused in the U.S. each year — and this is only what is reported. Nearly two-thirds of all cases handled by Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) involve child sexual abuse.
Child abuse and neglect is preventable and requires a shared responsibility of collective action on all fronts. A new initiative from Culture Reframed and CACs across the United States aims to elevate awareness of child abuse, specifically as it relates to pornography exposure.
Understanding Porn’s Impact on Sexual Violence in the Lives of Black Girls
During Culture Reframed’s virtual conference, The Impact of Pornography on Young People: Research, Practice, and Solutions, Carolyn M. West, Ph.D. presented a session about how the racial stereotypes in pornography contribute to sexual violence against Black girls. “Kids are being exposed to pornography, but in particular, they’re being exposed to these stereotypical images in pornography,” she said. “That is really problematic in terms of shaping how they see themselves and how it shapes their sexuality.”
Upcoming Events
Growing Up in Porn Culture: What Parents Should Know & How to Talk About It
April 30 from 6–7:30 p.m. ET | Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center in Asheville, NC
Online porn has become a primary source of sex education for young people around the world. Dr. Mandy Sanchez will lead a discussion and Q&A highlighting how Culture Reframed’s research-driven online courses and resources help parents and professionals who work with young people to navigate this precarious terrain of hypersexualized social media and pornography. Learn more and register.
Safe Parenting Summit
May 6-10 | Free Online Event
This empowering event hosted by The Heartful Parent Collective features more than 25 experts addressing how to keep kids safe online while breaking free of fear-based parenting. Attendees will hear insights on a variety of topics related to digital safety, covering everything from managing screen time to talking about sex, sexuality, and consent. Culture Reframed’s Dr. Mandy Sanchez will address the importance of sex education in her session, “Let’s Talk about Porn-Critical Sex Education for Young People,” on May 7. Learn more and register.
Bakken Human Trafficking Summit
May 21-22 | Minot State University in Minot, ND
Dr. Mandy Sanchez will deliver the keynote address, “Growing up in a Porn Culture: The Social, Emotional & Cognitive Effects & A Public Health Solution” at the 4th Annual Bakken Human Trafficking Summit. The presentation will explore the most popular social media platforms accessed by young people today, linking the social media and porn industries and the harmful effects of their exposure on young people. Learn more and register.
What Others Are Saying
The Online Degradation of Women and Girls That We Meet With a Shrug (New York Times)
Opinion Columnist Nicholas Kristof asks of deepfake production, “We have a hard-fought consensus established today that unwanted kissing, groping and demeaning comments are unacceptable, so how is this other form of violation given a pass? How can we care so little about protecting women and girls from online degradation?” Read now.
UK’s Age-Appropriate Design Code Ushers in Nearly 100 Safe Digital Space Changes for Youth (Children and Screens)
This landmark Children and Screens report highlights the significant impacts of the United Kingdom’s Age-Appropriate Design Code on digital platforms. Read now.
The Terrible Costs of a Phone-Based Childhood (The Atlantic)
This article argues that the environment in which kids grow up today is hostile to human development. Read now.
Kansas Moves to Join Texas and Other States in Requiring Porn Sites to Verify People’s Ages (AP News)
Kansas is poised to require pornography websites to verify visitors are adults, a move that would follow Texas and a handful of other states, despite concerns about privacy and how broadly the law could be applied. Read now.
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