Students and faculty at BYU-Hawaii, are joining with Fight the New Drug organization (FTND) to inform people of the harmfulness of pornography through social media, events, and surveys. John Hales, a senior majoring in business marketing from California, will be holding a forum to raise awareness.“Other than sharing [FTND] articles and repping my Porn Kills Love shirt, I am putting on a ‘Myths of Pornography’ forum on November 11th,” said Hales, who got involved through his friendship with Robbie Tripp, manager of social media at FTND. The forum will have a therapist from counseling services as well as a married couple who have overcome pornography who will answer questions at the forum.“Fight the New Drug exists to provide individuals the opportunity to make an informed decision regarding pornography by raising awareness on its harmful effects using science, facts, and personal accounts,” the FTND mission statements says.“We’re trying to spread awareness and increase the discussion about porn addiction, as well as advertise the many services provided to help,” Hales continued. Hales is also preparing to release an anonymous survey for BYUH students to see how they feel about pornography as an addiction.Brother Harris, who works in the Counseling Center as a marriage and family therapist, said, “Pornography is one of our top ‘presenting’ issues here at Counseling Services. All of our counselors are trained in treating pornography addiction. Our next Out-reach Day is on November 20 is on this topic.”Fight the New Drug began in 2009, when Clay Olsen and three of his friends wanted to make a difference after they graduated from college. With new science and research coming out about the harmful effects of pornography, Olsen knew that it was time to make a difference.“Most people were arguing about pornography from moral and religious standpoint, but we thought that science and facts would be more effective. People usually respond to cold, hard facts a lot quicker,” said Tripp. FTND was then established as a non-profit organization with the goal of making pornography a public issue.Today, the Salt Lake City based organization is utilizing social media to get people involved with the campaign. FTND can be found on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter with the hashtag #pornkillslove.“We are pro-love and pro-healthy sexuality. We want people to understand that pornography kills relationships, and we encourage healthy ones. That’s why we use the hash tag, #pornkillslove,” Tripp explained.“We are a non-religious, non-political, and non-profit organization. We want to end the pornographic culture through informing people with the facts. Porn kills love,” he continued.The Counseling Center has student support groups that meet on Wed. at 7 P.M. in the BYUH Counseling Services office and Thurs. at 7:30 P.M. in the Laie Stake Center in the high counsel room.There will also be an event sponsored by the Peace Building program and Counseling Services the week of November 10, focused on pornography.To get involved with FTND and get more information, visit fightthenewdrug.org, or follow them on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, and Tumblr.
Writer: Emily Halls ~ Multimedia Journalist
