A new survey conducted by the Pentagon indicates that military sexual assault reports have increased by 50 percent from 2012 to 2013. Thus, it appears that sexual exploitation is still a major part of our military’s culture. Pornography is a root cause of this behavior, Morality in Media says.
Searches of military bases by the military in 2012-2013 indicated that there are thousands of pornographic images in public and work spaces even though research has demonstrated, time and again, that pornography affects users’ beliefs and motivates them to act on the things they’ve seen.
“Because the crisis of sexual assault in the military continues, Morality in Media is renewing its call for a complete ban on sales of pornography in all base exchanges and a complete prohibition of access to pornography on bases through the Internet, mobile devices and magazines,” says Morality in Media Executive Director Dawn Hawkins.
“Pornography is the depiction of sexual exploitation,” Hawkins says. “It’s high time for the Pentagon to get serious about sexual exploitation and prohibit all pornography on all military bases.”
In July 2013, the Army and Air Force Exchange Service removed sexually explicit magazines in compliance with the Military Honor and Decency Act, which “prohibits the sale or rental of sexually explicit material on property under DOD [Department of Defense] jurisdiction.”
These events occurred following Morality in Media’s efforts, including a publicized letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to decrease sexual exploitation on bases by removing pornography and through meetings with many members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
