Fight the New Drug exposes connection between pornography and human trafficking

A presentation in Inspiration Hall last Tuesday aimed at spreading awareness about the hidden impact of pornography: its connection to human trafficking.

“Millions of people around the world struggle with pornography addiction,” Parker Hymas, a communications manager speaking on behalf of Fight the New Drug, said. “It can lead to objectification of humans, even those that [viewers] love and care about.” 

The presentation was primarily concerned with the connections between trafficking and pornographic material. “Sex trafficking and pornography are inseparably connected,” Hymas told his audience of nearly 150 students on the evening of Feb. 6. 

Fight the New Drug is a non-religious, non-legislative organization aiming to help people make informed decisions on the topic of pornography. 

“We are simply trying to allow people to be educated. Everyone deserves to know this information,” Hymas said.

His presentation, organized primarily by the HEART Initiative, the Voice Center and the Women’s Center, discussed the prevalence of pornography and the unseen elements of its production. 

Hymas cited research on the prefrontal cortex conducted by Dr. Simone Kühn at University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf to describe the neurological impacts of porn consumption. According to Kühn’s work, the prefrontal cortex, which is the decision-making part of the brain, is weaker in those who watch porn. Addiction can be attributed to weakened prefrontal cortexes, Hymas said.

He also noted that, in addition to being highly addictive, pornography can lower self-esteem, impact body image, and strain relationships. At a communal level, it can fuel racism, gender inequality, and cycles of relationship abuse.

Hymas pointed to a study by Samuel Perry, a researcher at the University of Oklahoma, that analyzed relationship quality using survey data. The study concluded that “[pornography] is nearly always a signal of poorer relationship quality, for men and women.”   

This is no surprise, Hymas said, given the source of most pornographic content. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH), “Exploitation and trafficking are common experiences in the porn industry, with pornography ranking as the third-most common form of trafficking.” 

The NHTH defines sex trafficking as any “commercial sex act induced by force, fraud or coercion, or one where someone under the age of 18 is involved.” 

Several short videos that documented the experiences of sex trafficking survivors were screened at the event. Some survivors described being coerced into creating pornographic content under the pretense of “modeling” while others said they were threatened by producers if they said no.  

“We know these stories are difficult, but that’s why it’s important that we’re sharing them,” Hymas said. “We need to start an ongoing conversation.”

Payton Weaver, an MSU Voice Center representative, attended the presentation and noted its scientific approach. Using evidence and facts will help students “break away from the stigma and ensure that the conversation about pornography is honest and open,” Weaver said. 

He also noted that the Voice Center is looking to be a supporting resource for students who are trying to make a decision about pornography. “We are not particularly anti-porn, but we want the education of porn to be based around an ethical sense and not a shameful or unsupportive sense. We want to be that supporting resource for anyone who needs us or wants to talk to us about something they're going through,” Payton said.

Megan Matteoli, director of the MSU HEART Initiative, also attended Tuesday’s event. “I definitely learned a lot. I think the surprising thing is the lack of conversation and overall knowledge about the topic [of pornography],” she said.

The HEART initiative is an on-campus group raising awareness to fight human trafficking. Matteoli said that the group is looking to support students in their decisions about pornography, as well as provide resources about human trafficking.

“Human trafficking is happening every day around us, even in Bozeman, and it’s growing every day. It’s really important to know the signs, whether you or a friend is being trafficked or you are observing it,” Matteoli said. 

Both the MSU Voice Center and the HEART Initiative are available to students who are looking for more resources or support.