Statement by Dawn Hawkins, Executive Director of NCOSE
White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) Week is a national awareness and activism week, which this year runs from Oct 30–Nov 6. The National Center on Sexual Exploitation is a national sponsor of WRAP Week.
“White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) Week provides an important platform for concerned citizens to raise awareness about the public health crisis of pornography,” said Dawn Hawkins, Executive Director of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, “Pornography has created an unprecedented epidemic of sexual harm. Like other public health issues, individuals may personally experience varying degrees of harm from pornography, however on the societal scale it’s clear that the harms are overwhelming. Pornography use is correlated to problematic sexual behaviors that can lead to addiction, porn-induced erectile dysfunction, divorce or failed relationships, as well as sexually aggressive and violent behaviors. Given the pervasiveness of pornography today, it is more vital than ever to raise awareness about the relevant research demonstrating pornography’s harms and the resources available to combat it.”
“There are numerous ways people can get involved with WRAP Week,” Hawkins continued. “In the past, 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, school assemblies, and sermons at churches, etc. There are creative ways for everyone to make a difference in their communities. For example, this year the Maryland Coalition Against Pornography (MCAP) sponsored a mobile billboard which is circulating in College Park, MD, with a message about the links between pornography, sexual health, and exploitation issues.”
“Additional ways people can get involved range from ordering postcards to send to Verizon asking them to stop selling pornography, wearing an anti-pornography T-shirt, talking to your kids about pornography visiting the Porn Harms Action Center and taking a recommended action, or watching any of our live webinars going on throughout the week at: endsexualexploitation.org/wrap”
To learn more about the history of WRAP Week, visit: https://endsexualexploitation.org/wrap
If you would like to schedule an interview, please contact Haley Halverson at (202) 393-7245 or
