UPDATED: June 12 at 12:30pm CST
Last weekend, one of our own here in the DGM community admitted that she had runaway to work in the adult film industry.
It all seemed so sudden. So hasty. Many replied to her announcement. Encouraging her to make a better choice. Some even offering to come get her. But as the week progressed, much of her story wasn’t quite lining up and our team began to do some research.
What we came to find out is that she has actually been in the industry for a long time. In her brokenness, she lied to us. And in an effort to tell us her real story, she created another story. We didn’t even know her real name. Her decision-making is rooted in her brokenness. Her own self-worth. Which we can obviously tell is very low, if she believes that performing sexual acts for money on film is the “only thing” she is good at doing, as her replies stated.
Here’s what I know: She is not a bad person. She’s experienced a lot of pain. She’s experienced a lot of loss. Of which I am not a liberty to share with you here. She’s in need of healing, just like all of us. She is believing lies about herself, about God and about what choices she has in life. We know these are lies from the enemy. We know she is worth more than this life she is choosing.
Here’s what else I know: A lot of prayers have been said for her and a lot of scripture has been spoken over her. And God’s word does not return void. These prayers and these words of biblical support to her were not and are not in vain. And while DGM is not equipped to serve those exiting the industry, but we know many organizations who are. If and when she is ready for help – we are here to help her get to the right people and the right places to do that. That invitation remains.
For many of the women in the community, this experience of watching this woman’s story unfold, has caused the truth of their pornography use to become very personal. That pornography is real, full of real people.
What it is being watched behind closed doors on the computer is not harmless. The images and the people on the screen are not fake. They are real men and women performing real sexual acts. Someone’s friend. Someone’s daughter. Many of which are doing so against their will, while high on drugs and unprotected & at risk for STDs.
Nobody wants to see our friend pop up on one of these sites. But that is the very thing that will happen if their porn use continues and this woman continues in the industry.
The adult film industry is one of the most dangerous professions out there and many of the women and men within it are trafficked beyond their control. It’s not glamorous. It’s not safe. It’s not harmless. It’s not what they get them to believe.
It’s a death sentence.
Pornography is all about supply and demand. If there wasn’t a demand for it, it would not be produced. It is the same with human trafficking. If people weren’t paying for sex, there wouldn’t be a need for men and women to be trafficked.
And did you know that the porn industry is a form of human trafficking? Human trafficking is modern-day slavery. And the demand for commercial sex is directly linked to pornography.
It is estimated that there are 2,000,000 sex slaves worldwide. And between 100,000-300,000 children & teens are trafficked into prostitution AND pornography every year in the United States alone.
Roaming the streets of Bangkok back in March, I lost it. And began to weep in the back of a cab as I looked out and saw young women, barely and likely not even 18-years-old, selling their bodies because there’s a demand for it in this broken world. And doing so against their will, for fear of death or worse. And most who are trafficked are first desensitized through hours and hours of prolonged viewing of pornography.
As someone who was addicted to pornography for 8 years, I am ashamed that I contributed to someone’s misery. I know I am forgiven, but the consequence remains.
We are not a ministry that is out to put an end to the porn industry. But we must begin to look at pornography differently. Especially those who are addicted to it. This is real, friends. There is a real battle out there. Bigger than any of us can comprehend.
We’re all in need of His grace and mercy. Every single day. We are here to help women find help, hope and healing from pornography and sexual addiction. And yet, I kinda hope this post convicts you too – just a little. The kind of conviction that lights a fire under you to no longer be complacent or believe this isn’t a problem.
The 1000+ women we serve in our online community are not the first women to become addicted to porn. And unfortunately, they won’t be the last. But we have a choice today whether we’re going to contribute to the demand. In their moment of weakness, in their need for prayer, when they have no where else to turn… this community is for them.
And your donation ensures that this community will be here when they need it.
Humbly,
Crystal Renaud
Founder, Dirty Girls Ministries
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Attention all Church Leaders, Women’s Ministry Leaders, College Ministry Leaders, Student Ministry Leaders and any other ministry leader who works with teen girls and/or adult women … we want to invite you to attend a very brief informational meeting on Saturday, April 6 about our WHOLE Women’s Conference, featuring Dannah Gresh, Annie Lobert and Lisa Whittle.
