7 Notable Figures in the Fight Against Porn and Sexual Exploitation
4. Dawn Hawkins: As the vice president and executive director of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation, Hawkins is holding mainstream companies involved in the sexual entertainment industry accountable. She's especially adroit at building coalitions among Christians, religious figures, feminists, and a plethora of conservative groups to unite to strike a blow against sexual exploitation.
"We all have an innate human dignity," she told CP a few days before the kick-off of the Orlando conference. "Family is the most important thing. We want to have deep and lasting relationship with human beings and pornography disrupts that. Sexual exploitation tears that apart."
5. Tomi Grover: An expert on human trafficking, Grover is an author, speaker and teacher who started a website that serves as a resource for those looking to find out more about human trafficking.
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"The Church should become that instrument of recognition, reconciliation and accountability," Grover told CP, speaking about the "restorative care" that the the Church provides.
Human trafficking has become such an epidemic in the modern world, Grover noted that the federal government and local law enforcement have asked clergy to help serve as watchdogs and report crimes.
6. Melissa Henson: Director of communications and public education for the Parents Television Council, Henson is a crusader against sexual programming aimed at children and teenagers that many in society consider to be mainstream entertainment.
"None of this is being consumer driven." Henson told CP. "It's being driven by the entertainment culture itself. The most successful programming tends to be more wholesome and family oriented shows. That is historically been the case.
"So where is the drive coming from? It is not coming from the consumers it is coming from the content creators."
Henson further emphasized that parents have more of an influence over their children and their programming decisions than they think they have. "Parents exert more influence than they give themselves credit for."
7. Craig Cobia: The co-founder of Citizens for Decency may run a smaller organization compared to some, but he offered a compelling story to CP about his introduction into the anti-pornography movement. His organization started at the request of a lady who came to his office who told him the story of her husband's heart-breaking pornography addiction, which ultimately resulted in his suicide. His wife was left with eight children to raise on her own. She asked Cobia to get involved and warn others.
Cobia has relentlessly worked in the state of Idaho, while working a separate full time job, to pass legislation protecting children from pornography and protecting the integrity of public libraries. Much of his life's work is dedicated to educating citizens on the dangers of pornography.
