How the Rise of the Internet Has Affected Sex Trafficking and How to End It
Apr 12, 2023
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Taina Bien-Aimé, Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, discusses the impact of online pornography on sex trafficking and gender-based violence. She addresses the normalization of violence against women in mainstream porn and the need to shift cultural attitudes. Taina emphasizes the role of sex buyers in perpetuating exploitation and highlights the historical context of prostitution. She commends the youth movement in fighting sex trafficking and expresses support for their work.
Online pornography has contributed to the rise of sex trafficking and sexual exploitation, linking pornography to gender-based violence and reinforcing harmful power dynamics and submissive behavior in girls.
The widespread accessibility of online pornography has normalized and glorified explicit content, leading to increased online sexual exploitation and grooming while presenting challenges for law enforcement to address these issues effectively.
Deep dives
The Impact of Online Pornography on Sex Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation
This podcast episode explores the connection between the rise of online pornography and its impact on sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. The speaker, Tyne Bienemé, discusses how the majority of sex buyers are men and how most victims of sexual violence are women and girls. She highlights the increase in online sexual exploitation and the challenges faced by law enforcement in addressing it. She emphasizes the importance of survivor-led movements in changing attitudes and policies. The episode also delves into the harmful effects of pornography, including its role in perpetuating gender-based violence and perpetuating harmful stereotypes and objectification of women. Overall, the episode provides a comprehensive understanding of the complex issues surrounding online pornography and its intersection with sex trafficking and exploitation.
Tyne Bienemé's Background and Journey in Women's Rights Advocacy
Tyne Bienemé, the executive director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women, shares her extensive background and experience in working for women's rights and equality. She explains her motivation to fight for equality and justice, influenced by her upbringing and her grandmother's activism. Tyne recounts her involvement in founding Equality Now, a prominent international women's rights organization. She also discusses the formation of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and their efforts to address the complexities of sex trafficking and exploitation. Her personal journey and the organizations she has been part of reveal a deep commitment to pursuing justice and improving the lives of women and girls.
The Evolution of Sexual Exploitation in the Internet Era
The podcast highlights the significant changes in sexual exploitation with the advent of the internet. From a legal standpoint, Tyne explains how the understanding and legislation surrounding human trafficking and sexual exploitation have evolved over the years. With the ease of online accessibility, pornography has become ubiquitous, with even young children having access to explicit content. Tyne emphasizes the challenges faced by law enforcement in keeping up with online exploitation and grooming. The episode underscores the cultural shift caused by the internet, normalizing and glorifying pornography and the need for a broader societal awareness to address the consequences of these changes.
The Harmful Effects of Pornography and the Urgent Need for Action
The podcast highlights the harmful effects of pornography and emphasizes the urgent need for action. Tyne provides a deeper understanding of the exploitative nature of pornography, describing how it perpetuates gender-based violence, objectification, and commodification of women. The episode also explores the correlation between pornography and real-world violence, with survivors sharing experiences of abusers watching porn before engaging in abuse. Tyne stresses the importance of conversation and education surrounding the harms of pornography, particularly for parents and young people. The episode calls for collective action to confront and dismantle the oppressive systems that allow pornography and exploitation to persist.
Trigger Warning: This episode contains frank discussions of sexual abuse and sex trafficking. Listener discretion is advised.
Taina Bien-Aimé is the Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW), one of the oldest international organizations dedicated to ending trafficking in women and girls and commercial sexual exploitation as practices of gender-based violence and discrimination. Speaking from 30 years of experience in women's rights and equality, Taina discusses how the rise of online pornography has affected sex trafficking and sexual exploitation. Taina draws the links between pornography and gender-based violence, how the majority of sex buyers are men, and how porn teaches girls to be submissive and boys to exert power over girls. Taina helps us understand the increase of online sexual exploitation and what we can do to end it.