By Michael Gryboski
10/30/2013
The Christian Post
A major anti-pornography organization, along with many others, is currently observing a week of awareness meant to educate the public about the dangers of pornography.
White Ribbon Against Pornography Week (WRAP), which began Sunday and will go through Nov. 3, is a nationwide event organized by Morality in Media and cosponsored by hundreds of groups.
“The White Ribbon Against Pornography is intended to educate the public about the extent of the pornography problem and about what can legally be done to fight back against the flood tide of obscenity,” reads an entry on WRAP’s website.
“Fighting pornography and obscenity in particular, however, is a year round challenge. Let us make the public aware!”
Dawn Hawkins, executive director at Morality in Media, told The Christian Post that WRAP has grown considerably since its inception 26 years ago.
“It used to be that participants simply wore a white ribbon and hung them on their homes or cars – now with the help of technology and social media, discussion on this issue has increased and hundreds of thousands more are being made aware of WRAP,” said Hawkins.
“Local elected officials continue to declare an official WRAP week in many areas. Churches around the country are preaching about the issue from the pulpit this week or are at least setting up a table with materials in their foyer. Moms are organizing discussion and education group parties in their homes, [and] many more organizations have officially joined and are alerting their networks.”
The WRAP observance began in 1987 in Butler, Pa., when a woman heard an anti-pornography sermon that compelled her to do something to combat the porn industry.
A white ribbon was soon developed by the Pennsylvania woman as a symbol of decency, and by the 1990s a growing number of local groups and people across the United States joined.
“MIM alerted their many supporters by sending them WRAP packages each year. Many of them would get their local officials to declare an official WRAP week and would provide ribbons and talking points to their neighbors and networks,” said Hawkins.
“By the ’90s it had taken on a life of its own with many groups and local leaders organizing their own events. Many participating groups today don’t even know that one woman started it and that MIM was so involved.”
On its website, MIM encourages “creativity” among groups observing WRAP when it comes to events and activism.
“We don’t want to limit you or the possibilities. Thousands have participated by proudly wearing or displaying a white ribbon during the week. Other groups have organized protests, letter-writing campaigns, call-days, support meetings for addicts and their partners, group discussions, sermons at church, handing out awareness flyers,” said MIM.
“In 2011, more than 20 groups are putting on live online events with different experts on the harms of pornography and ways to overcome these consequences.”
