In order to spread awareness about the dangers of pornography, Students for Child Oriented Policy (SCOP) is hosting White Ribbon Against Pornography (WRAP) Week. The initiative aims to inform students and faculty about the detrimental effects of pornography through a series of educational events.
“We’re trying to look at the issue from several different vantage points for comprehensive coverage,” senior Shaun Evans, president of SCOP, said.
Senior Tierney Vrdolyak, SCOP vice president, said the organization believes pornography is dehumanizing to both its consumers and the actors who produce it.
Evans said the escalating nature of pornography causes people to “seek more extreme, often violent, abusive types of pornography,” over time. This may lead its consumers to have an increased inclination towards sexual assault, Evans said.
Despite issues like these, pornography remains a little-talked about topic, Vrdolyak said.
Vrdolyak identified this as a major reason why organizations like SCOP work to promote public discussion about pornography and how it influences society’s understanding of sexuality.
She said SCOP hopes that in addition to educating about the harms of pornography, WRAP Week will provide a chance for those deeply affected by it to access help.
“We want people to know there is a community who cares,” Vrdolyak said.
WRAP Week kicked off on Sunday night with a prayer service in the Grotto. The service began with several readings, followed by a sermon by Fr. Terrence Ehrman and a chance for students to offer prayer intentions for further reflection.
SCOP also handed out white ribbons and other WRAP Week resources outside Eck Hall on Monday morning to spread awareness about the program and its events.
The initiative continues on Tuesday with “On Both Sides of the Screen”, a panel discussion featuring Crissy Moran, a former pornography actress, and Tray and Melody Lovvorn, a married couple who overcame previous struggles with pornography and seek to help others do the same.
SCOP hopes sharing these stories will help students to “reflect on what pornography means for people in relationships,” Evans said.
The panel will take place in DeBartolo Hall, Room 102 beginning at 5 p.m, and is open to the public.
SCOP will also host a dinner presentation at Legends on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. with Ehrman. Ehrman will be discussing his latest book, “Man of God: Lessons to Young Men about Life, Sex, Friendship, Vocation and Loving with the Heart of Christ.”
“The book seeks to instill virtue in young men and women affected by pornography,” Vrdolyak said.
Thursday, Jess Keating and Brett Robinson, both representatives from the McGrath Institute for Church Life, will host a lecture on hypersexualization in the media. Evans said the lecture will address how the normalization of sexual content in media affects the public perception of sexuality.
WRAP week concludes on Friday with a petition signing calling for Notre Dame to apply WiFi filters restricting access to pornography websites on campus.
Evans said because Notre Dame’s internet is the means through which pornography is accessed on campus, the University is indirectly responsible for the negative effects it has upon the students who view it.
Vrdolyak added that, as a virtue-conscience univeristy, restricting access to pornographic websites would allow Notre Dame to take a public stance against pornography’s deteriorating effect on individuals’ character.
The petition signing takes place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside both dining halls. The petition may also be reached at bit.ly/NDpornfilter.
