News Release: Ohio Resolution Declares Pornography a Public Health Crisis

Article from  Citizens for Community Value

Sponsored by Rep. Jena Powell, resolution also highlights the connection of pornography with human trafficking.

COLUMBUS — Representative Jena Powell and 18 co-sponsors have introduced a powerful Ohio House resolution to declare pornography a public health crisis. Along with highlighting the serious hardships pornography causes for men, women and children, the resolution emphasizes the connections between pornography and human trafficking.

A recent study ranked Ohio the “4th worst state in the nation for human sex trafficking.” As lawmakers and law enforcement work to end the exploitation of Ohio’s most vulnerable, the resolution brings to light the importance of protecting children from pornography, and enforcing existing obscenity laws.

“The #MeToo movement has awakened America to the epidemic of sexual assault, human trafficking, and the objectification of women,” said Aaron Baer, President of Citizens for Community Values. “But any serious conversation about ending a toxic sexual culture must include an honest assessment of the harms of pornography. Pornography is more widely available than ever before, and until we get serious about enforcing our existing obscenity laws and ensuring children aren’t exposed to porn, we will never end the exploitation.”

If the resolution passes in the House, Ohio will join at least 15 other states who have passed similar resolutions: Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia.

Citizens for Community Values and the National Decency Coalition worked with Representative Jena Powell to draft the resolution. Eighteen other House members have signed on as cosponsors—Rep. John Becker, Rep. Louis Blessing, Tom Brinkman, Rep. Bill Dean, Rep. Tim Ginter, Rep. Diane Grendell, Rep. Ron Hood, Rep. Candice Keller, Rep. Kyle Koehler, Rep. George Lang, Rep. Riordan McClain, Rep. Derek Merrin, Rep. Tracy Richardson, Rep. Craig Riedel, Rep. Mark Romanchuk, Rep. Todd Smith, Rep. Reggie Stoltzfus, and Rep. Nino Vitale.

You can read the resolution online here.