Ask Your State Legislators to Protect Children from Exposure to Online Pornography!

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Ask Your State Legislators to Protect Children from Exposure to Online Pornography!

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Dear __________,

I am a constituent writing to you with a matter of urgent importance impacting the safety and well-being of our children: namely, their exposure to online pornography. In an age where digital devices are ubiquitous and hardcore pornography is readily accessible, it is imperative that we take definitive action to protect our youth.

The numbers speak for themselves. A nationally representative sample indicates that 84.4% of males and 57% of females aged 14-18 have encountered pornography online. A US survey of more than 1,300 youth aged 13-17 found that 52% of those exposed to pornography had seen violent forms of pornography, including choking (36%), someone in pain (37%), and depictions of what appeared to be rape (19%).

Numerous scientific studies have proven that pornography poses serious and extensive harm to children’s mental, social, and sexual health—including increased risk of perpetrating sexual violence, the development of sexual dysfunctions, mental health disorders, and more.

These statistics are more than just numbers—they are a clarion call to action.

Currently, two legislative solutions exist to address this issue:

Safer Devices Legislation would require all smartphones and tablets activated for minors to automatically enable existing filters for sexually explicit content. Children will receive the protection they so urgently need, without getting in the way of adults. Research shows that the vast majority of people leave their devices on default settings, which means that, although devices already have filters for sexually explicit content, they are not turned on for most children.
Age verification legislation requires pornography websites to verify users are over 18. In the same way that a person buying a pornographic magazine or DVD must show proof that they are over 18, we must bring these same protections to the online world.

I urge you to champion these policies, which are critical in safeguarding our young ones from undue harm.

If you wish to learn more about either of these legislative approaches, I invite you to contact the National Center on Sexual Exploitation at public@ncose.com.

Thank you for your attention and commitment to this pressing issue.

Sincerely,

Your Name