WASHINGTON, Sept. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Coalition for the War on Illegal Pornography, directed by Morality in Media, launched a new campaign today at http://www.waronillegalpornography.com/candidates/ asking 2012 presidential candidates to state their position on enforcement of federal laws prohibiting the distribution of illegal, hard-core, obscene pornography.
"The Obama Administration has turned a blind eye to the harm of pornography and has not initiated a single new federal obscenity prosecution since President Obama was inaugurated," said Patrick Trueman, Morality in Media president and former chief, U.S. Department of Justice, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. "We need presidential leadership on this issue."
According to peer-reviewed research gathered at http://www.pornharms.com, harm from adult pornography is at pandemic levels. Consumption of adult pornography is leading to addiction among many children and adults and is a significant cause of broken marriages and the sexual exploitation of children and women. It leads to violence against women and an increase in child pornography and increases the demand for sexual trafficking and child exploitation.
Current federal laws, upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court, prohibit distribution of hard-core obscene pornography on the Internet, on cable/satellite TV, on hotel/motel TV, in retail shops, through the mail, and by common carrier. But, the laws are simply not being enforced.
"We want assurances that the next President will agree to make the prosecution of illegal hardcore pornography a priority of the U.S. Department of Justice. Only then will the harm begin to subside," Trueman said.
Trueman, who was in charge of adult obscenity prosecutions during the Reagan and Bush I Administrations, said vigorous prosecutions of the nation's top pornographers not only led to a dramatic decrease of pornography but also to a significant change in the nature of pornography. The porn industry stopped producing violent-themed pornography such as rape films, as well as themes involving children, he said.
Citizens can contact all current candidates, including President Obama, with one click at http://www.WarOnIllegalPornography.com/candidates . The candidates' responses will be published on the site.
About
The War on Illegal Pornography is a bipartisan coalition of over 115 national, state, and local groups working to get federal obscenity laws enforce and is directed by Morality in Media, the leading national organization in opposition to obscenity and indecency through public education and the application of the law. For more information: http://www.WarOnIllegalPornography.com, http://www.PornHarms.com and http://www.MoralityInMedia.org.
Contact:
Dawn Hawkins 202-393-7245
813-849-0076
dhawkins@pornharms.com