St. Cloud Group Says Porn Is Sex Trafficking

ST. CLOUD -- Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and a group of protesters says porn is a major contributor to human/sex trafficking.

On Friday that group was on the corner of 5th Avenue and Highway 23 with signs in hopes to bring awareness to the role that the porn industry plays in sex trafficking.

According to the Central MN Sexual Assault Center, 70 percent of men look at porn and after consuming porn, men report an increased interest in coercing partners into unwanted sex acts and have a decreased empathy for rape victims.

Rebecca Kotz of the Central MN Sexual Assault Center says porn reinforces and normalizes sex trafficking.

"It's about normalizing rape and trafficking. Porn is making all this acceptable."

One of the facts that's worrying for many is that most kids are having their first education about sex through pornography around the age of 8.

According to the CMSAC, pornography is also affecting marriage with 56 percent of divorces reporting that porn was a factor in their decision.

Kotz says the influence of pornography is even preventing people from reporting rape.

"We are seeing that a lot of people are not identifying as victims of sexual assault because these acts have been normalized through porn. Even many perpetrators aren't recognizing what they are doing is considered rape."

Just a few other startling stats included 88 percent of the most popular porn scenes contain physical abuse and one in three U.S. men self-identify as addicted to porn.

While most people would say they are against sex trafficking, Kotz says they hope to help people understand that porn contributes to the problem.

"We recognize that most people would say they are against trafficking but are pro-porn. What we want to do is expose the hypocrisy in that since pornography is just a legal form of trafficking."

Kotz and the CMSAC offer courses and training to help you understand all the links between pornography and sex trafficking.