UN Event: World Day Against Trafficking in Persons: Reducing demand for the sexual exploitation of women and girls

On Tuesday, July 30, 2024

EVENT RECORDNG

 

Tuesday, July 30, 2024
1:15pm – 2:30pm
UN Headquarters
Conference Room 5

RSVP to uneventrsvp@gmail.com by Thursday, July 25th for those needing a UN pass. This event will be live-streamed here.

SPONSORING MEMBER STATES
Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations

CO-SPONSORING CIVIL SOCIETY
C-Fam, Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam)
Exodus Cry

EVENT BACKGROUND

The world is only beginning to reckon with the widespread harms and trauma that sexual exploitation through pornography and prostitution have wreaked on societies.

When the General Assembly established the Commemoration of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons it also recognized that the challenge of ending trafficking in persons is made more difficult by “a culture of tolerance towards violence against women, youth and children” (A/RES/68/192, OP 9) that fuels trafficking in persons. Prostitution and pornography are part of this culture. As the Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem, put it recently, “prostitution is intrinsically linked to different forms of violence against women and girls and constitutes a form of violence in and of itself” and “pornography is understood to be filmed prostitution” (A/HRC/56/48, OP3).

The 2021 Political Declaration on the Implementation of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons called on UN member states to eliminate “the demand that fosters trafficking in persons” (A/RES/76/7). Anti-trafficking advocates have always understood this to include pornography, especially violent pornography, and prostitution. In a world where men can buy the bodies of women for their sexual pleasure, whether in person or virtually, no woman or girl is safe from trafficking and exploitation.

The General Assembly has recognized more than once that pornography and prostitution pose a threat to women and children. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, for example, recognized that “images in the media of violence against women, in particular those that depict rape or sexual slavery as well as the use of women and girls as sex objects, including pornography, are factors contributing to violence against women and children” (Beijing PfA 118). The text and negotiating history of binding human rights treaties leave no doubt that sexual exploitation of any kind is a grave violation of human rights and that prostitution and pornography are inherently exploitative and degrading (CEDAW, Article 6).

This event seeks to move forward the important discussion about reducing the demand that fosters trafficking in persons by looking at pornography and trafficking through multiple angles. The panel discussion of experts will help the UN community and the women’s rights movement more broadly understand the harms of pornography from the perspective of victims, both in term so of their  physical and mental health, the way pornography fuels demand for trafficking in persons, and the need for laws and policies to safeguard society from pornography, especially women and children, including age verification tools and other virtual safeguards.

EVENT OBJECTIVES

  • Explore the concept of “demand that fosters trafficking in persons” with a particular focus on pornography and prostitution.
  • Learn about the nature, extent, and impact of the pornography industry on sexual development and behavior.
  • Learn about the nature, extent, and impact of sex trafficking and prostitution on women and girls.
  • Learn about the physical and psychosocial trauma experienced by victims of pornography and prostitution and the support measures they need.
  • Learn about how pornography and prostitution contributes to sexual violence and violence against women. 
  • Foster discussions among policymakers, UN staff, and UN delegations on laws and policies to protect children and women from the harms of pornography and prostitution, including age verification tools.

 

AGENDA

Opening Remarks

H.E. Antonio M. Lagdameo, Permanent Representative of the Philippines to the United Nations

Panel Discussion

“Connections between sex trafficking and pornography and the global fight to protect children,” Helen Taylor, VP of Impact, Exodus Cry. Excerpts of the documentary film “Raised on Porn.” https://exoduscry.com/pcnp/film/

“My Story,” Victoria Galy, survivor of sex trafficking on Pornhub. Victoria shares her story of non-consensual abuse uploaded and monetized by Pornhub. She advocates for the importance of age verification and protecting people both behind and in front of the screen.

“Porn as a public health crisis and the devastating harms to children and youth observed in hospitals,” Heidi Olson, Certified Pediatric Nurse and Certified Pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE), Founder and President, Paradigm Shift Training and Consulting.

“Protecting children from online porn,” Cole Allen Johnson, Founder, Screen. Cole shares his personal story of childhood exposure to porn, the impact of addiction and his current activism to pass age verification in New Jersey.

“Understanding the groundbreaking age verification technology being implemented around the world,” Iain Corby, Executive Director, The Age Verification Providers Association.

Statements

NJ Assemblyman Jay Webber on his age verification bill

Moderator

Lisa Correnti, Executive Vice President, C-Fam

 

 

 

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