Decades of studies from respected institutions have demonstrated significant impacts of porn consumption on individuals, relationships, and society. No Porn November is all about giving visibility to these facts and empowering individuals to choose to be porn-free. Learn more by clicking here.
Click below to watch our three-part documentary series, Brain, Heart, World.
WATCH NOWDecades of studies from respected academic institutions have demonstrated significant impacts of porn consumption for individuals, relationships, and society.
If you aren’t familiar with Fight the New Drug, we are a non-religious and non-legislative organization that exists to provide individuals the opportunity to make an informed decision regarding pornography by raising awareness on its harmful effects using only science, facts, and personal accounts. In other words, think of us like the Truth Campaign (they raise awareness on the harms of smoking), but for porn.
Since our start in 2009, Fight the New Drug has been all about giving visibility to the already-existing data, studies, and personal experiences that illustrate how porn is anything but harmless entertainment. We also create resources to help friends, families, youth, partners, parents, and community groups have healthy and productive conversations about the proven harms of porn.
Until now, we’ve created resources including conversation-starting apparel, thought-provoking and humanizing videos, sharable social media content, a podcast, and over 1,300 informational articles that educate the millions of people visiting our site every year. We also give interactive and age-appropriate school presentations, an interactive and ever-updating research catalog, and a conversation-starting alternative website.
And, if you’re new to this movement, we’d like to introduce you to one of the biggest resources we’ve ever created.
FTND’s Free Documentary Series
To create our three-part docuseries, Brain, Heart, World, we traveled around the world and interviewed experts and former porn performers, and captured real stories and experiences from those who have struggled with porn.
FTND Co-Founder, Clay Olsen, with Elizabeth Smart, survivor of abduction and sexual assault. Smart appears in “The World” episode.
Cherice reflects on her personal experience with the harms of porn in “The Brain” episode.
Dr. Simone Kuhn, from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Germany, shares her findings on porn and the brain in “The Brain” episode.
The concept of neuroplasticity is discussed and demonstrated using this model in “The Brain” episode.
Dr. Philip Zimbardo, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Stanford University, shares his findings on porn’s effect on individuals in “The Brain” episode.
Travis and Emily walk through a Kansas City sunflower field. They share how porn impacted their relationship in “The Heart” episode.
Dr. Andrew Doan, expert in digital media addictions, explains what mirror neurons are and why they’re important, in “The Heart” episode.
Dr. Freda Bush, medical professional, explains porn’s effect on relationships in “The Heart” episode.
Deanna shares her experience of being a performer in the porn industry in “The World” episode.
The connection between porn and violence is visually demonstrated in “The World” episode.
Survivor Elizabeth Smart explains porn’s role in her abduction and abuse in “The World” episode.
If you haven’t yet watched Brain, Heart, World, click here to watch all three episodes for free!
Why create a free documentary series?
Since 2010, we’ve shared our live presentation in front of hundreds of thousands of individuals, and we wanted to create a resource that could scale far beyond any live presentation event to educate youth. It isn’t always possible or cost-effective for us to visit any one community or school, but this way, impactful information about the harmful effects of porn still reaches anyone and everyone who is interested in learning about it.
Consider this docuseries a direct message from us to you, right to whatever screen you’re looking at right now. That’s right, anyone can access it.
Watch the trailer for the whole series, right here:
What’s up with the title, you may ask?
Throughout our resources, we organize the conversation on porn’s harms into three parts, based on the available research and studies—how porn can have lasting, neurological impacts on consumer’s brain; how porn can harm relationships, sexual health, and relational health of partners; and how porn is connected to violence, sex trafficking, and sexual exploitation.
Why Brain, Heart, World?
If you’ve spent any time reviewing the research on this topic, you’ll see that this is a multifaceted issue. Research shows that pornography can absolutely impact individuals, relationships, and society.
The first episode, “The Brain,” dives into the neurological impact of porn and how it affects the consumer, specifically. The second episode, “The Heart,” dives more deeply into how porn can impact mental health and drive a wedge between partners. And the third episode, “The World,” breaks down porn’s inextricable connection to sexual exploitation, sexual violence, and sex trafficking.
Some of the noteworthy experts you’ll hear from are Dr. Philip Zimbardo from Stanford University, Dr. John D. Foubert from Oklahoma State University, Dr. Gail Dines, Founder of Culture Reframed, and a dozen others. You’ll also hear from real men and women from all different backgrounds who have struggled with porn and experienced its detrimental effects in their personal lives and relationships, as well as trafficking survivors and former performers.
These powerful true stories, expert interviews, and compelling studies are aimed at helping the viewer to grasp the multidimensional harms of porn on a personal, relational, and global scale.
Together, the experts and individuals in Brain, Heart, World truly demonstrate porn’s impacts on the brain, the heart, and the world.
Who is this free documentary series for?
As an education and awareness organization that aims to be accessible to youth, we designed this three-part series to be an educational resource for those in middle school and older. We recommend the first and second episodes for middle school ages and up, and the addition of the third episode for high school ages and up. Just like our presentation program, our free documentary series is appropriate to show in classroom settings, your family’s living room, or at community events!
However, parents and caretakers know their children best and we trust them to decide which episodes they think their children are ready for.
Keep in mind, though, that even though we produced this to be age-appropriate for youth, anyone of any age can enjoy it and learn something, too. It’s great for families, community leaders, or anyone else who may be interested in learning more about how porn impacts individuals, relationships, and society. There’s something for everyone in Brain, Heart, World.
What’s great about this docuseries is that it’s an intentionally accessible resource. There’s no shaming involved, it’s intentionally hopeful, it’s appropriately humorous, and it speaks directly to youth. When you consider what kind of resources are out there right now concerning this topic, there are very few that are anti-shame and speak directly to young people even though today’s adolescents are the ones dealing with this issue on a scale greater than ever before.
Ultimately, we’ve made what is often an awkward, difficult conversation into something that’s engaging, compelling, and easy to understand. We’d call that a win for anyone.
Who can access it, and how?
We want anyone and everyone to be able to check out this incredible resource. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, we’re able to grant free access for small, private viewings—for individuals, couples, families, friends, etc., just click here to access a private viewing of the free documentary.
For larger gatherings at educational institutions and community events, licenses can be purchased for public screenings by clicking here.
This purchase also comes with additional resources including promotional materials, engaging lesson guides, and thought-provoking worksheets to assist you in hosting a public screening.
Ultimately, we hope you enjoy it and learn all about how porn can impact consumers, relationships, and our society. If you like it, please do share it and help others become educated as well!
Why is this issue important? Is it relevant to me?
For years, porn has often been thought of as an isolated issue—something that can be easily compartmentalized in the lives of consumers, unrelated to anything else that’s going on. Thanks to decades of research from respected institutions, the world can now understand the significant impacts porn can have.
Given the growing field of scientific research and studies, it can no longer be denied that repeated porn exposure does have a tangible effect on consumers, and is connected to declining relationship satisfaction as well as various forms of sexual exploitation. This isn’t a moral argument, it’s simply something to consider given the facts.
Now, it’s possible to see how porn is connected to societal issues that are greater than all of us—issues like sexual assault, rape culture, sexual exploitation, human trafficking, gender inequality, self-esteem, quality information about sex, body-image, the misrepresentation of LGBTQ+ folks, and many others.
Given this information, we believe that everyone should be given the opportunity to make an informed decision regarding porn for themselves, similar to anything else someone might consider consuming. Ultimately, we respect the right of adults to choose for themselves whether to click porn or not. The least we can do is contribute thoughtfully to an important conversation that is absolutely relevant to youth growing up today in the digital age.
Ultimately, because of the available information, anyone and everyone can care about porn’s proven effects. If you have a brain, desire healthy relationships, and care about living in a healthy society, this docuseries is for you.
Click below to watch Brain, Heart, World.
WATCH NOWWe hope this free documentary adds to and helps to shape meaningful conversations in your community, wherever you are. Happy viewing!
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Thanks for taking the time to read through this article! As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we're able to create resources like this through the support of people like you. Will you help to keep our educational resources free as we produce resources that raise awareness on the harms of porn and sexual exploitation?
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