SLS 17RS-493 ORIGINAL
2017 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 111
BY SENATOR MIZELL
SCHOOLS. Requests school districts to distribute information regarding the public health
risks associated with pornography and to encourage parents to install Internet filters on their
home computers to protect children from the harms of pornography.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To urge and request each school governing authority for grades kindergarten through twelve
3 to distribute information regarding the public health risk associated with
4 pornography and to encourage parents to install Internet filters on their home
5 computers to protect children from the harms of pornography.
6 WHEREAS, pornography is creating a public health crisis; and
7 WHEREAS, pornography perpetuates a sexually toxic environment; and
8 WHEREAS, efforts to prevent pornography exposure and addiction, to educate
9 individuals and families concerning its harmful effects, and to develop recovery programs
10 must be addressed systemically in ways that hold providers accountable; and
11 WHEREAS, pornography is contributing to the hypersexualization of teens and even
12 prepubescent children in our society; and
13 WHEREAS, due to the advances in technology and the universal availability of the
14 Internet, young children are exposed to what used to be referred to as hardcore pornography
15 but is now considered mainstream pornography; and
16 WHEREAS, the average age of exposure to pornography is now eleven to twelve
17 years of age; and
18 WHEREAS, this early exposure is leading to low self-esteem and body-image
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SLS 17RS-493 ORIGINAL
1 disorders, an increase in problematic sexual activity at younger ages, and an increased desire
2 among adolescents to engage in risky sexual behavior; and
3 WHEREAS, exposure to pornography often serves as sex education for children and
4 youth and informs their sexual templates; and
5 WHEREAS, because pornography treats women as objects and commodities for the
6 use of the viewer, it teaches girls they are to be used and teaches boys to be users; and
7 WHEREAS, pornography normalizes violence and abuse of women and
8 children; and
9 WHEREAS, pornography treats women and children as objects and often depicts
10 rape and abuse as if such acts are harmless; and
11 WHEREAS, pornography equates violence towards women and children with sex,
12 and pain with pleasure, which increases the demand for sex trafficking, prostitution, child
13 sexual abuse images, and child pornography; and
14 WHEREAS, potential detrimental effects on users of pornography can impact brain
15 development and functioning, contribute to emotional and medical illnesses, shape deviant
16 sexual arousal and lead to difficulty in forming or maintaining positive, intimate
17 relationships, as well as promoting problematic or harmful sexual behaviors and addiction;
18 and
19 WHEREAS, recent neurological research indicates that pornography is potentially
20 biologically addictive, which means the user requires more novelty, often in the form of
21 more shocking material, in order to be satisfied; and
22 WHEREAS, this biological addiction leads to increasing themes of risky sexual
23 behaviors, extreme degradation, violence, and child sexual abuse images and child
24 pornography; and
25 WHEREAS, pornography use is linked to lessening desire in young men to marry,
26 dissatisfaction in marriage, and infidelity; and
27 WHEREAS, this link demonstrates that pornography has a detrimental effect on the
28 family unit; and
29 WHEREAS, overcoming the emotionally and psychologically damaging effects of
30 pornography is beyond the capability of the afflicted individuals to address alone; and
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SLS 17RS-493 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, the Legislature of Louisiana recognizes that pornography is a public
2 health hazard leading to a broad spectrum of individual and public health impacts and
3 societal harms; and
4 WHEREAS, the Legislature of Louisiana recognizes the need for education,
5 prevention, research, and policy change at the community and societal level in order to
6 address the pornography epidemic that is harming the people of our state and nation; and
7 WHEREAS, the Legislature of Louisiana recognizes that each school governing
8 authority should bring awareness to all of the following:
9 (1) The dangers of cyberbullying.
10 (2) The addictive nature of illicit materials.
11 (3) The dangers of Internet interaction with strangers.
12 (4) The helpful access for parents who are seeking information related to safeguards
13 for children at www.netsmartz.org.
14 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
15 urge and request each school governing authority for grades kindergarten through twelve to
16 distribute information regarding the public health risk associated with pornography and to
17 encourage parents to install Internet filters on their home computers to protect children from
18 the harms of pornography.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby urge
20 and request each school governing authority to bring awareness to all of the following:
21 (1) The dangers of cyberbullying.
22 (2) The addictive nature of illicit materials.
23 (3) The dangers of Internet interaction with strangers.
24 (4) The helpful access for parents who are seeking information related to safeguards
25 for children at www.netsmartz.org.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution shall be transmitted
27 to the state Department of Education to be distributed to each school governing authority for
28 grades kindergarten through twelve.
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The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Carla S. Roberts.
DIGEST
SCR 111 Original 2017 Regular Session Mizell
Requests each school governing authority for grades K-12 to distribute information
regarding the public health risk associated with pornography and to encourage parents to
install Internet filters on their home computers to protect children from the harms of
pornography.
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