Presentation will discuss impact of pornography on college students

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A multimedia presentation of "Porn Nation - The Naked Truth," discussing the impact of pornography, will take place at Purdue University's Elliott Hall of Music at 7 p.m. Oct. 26.

The fast-paced, 90-minute presentation incorporates music, movies, advertising and personal stories from live speakers into a gripping and controversial conversation on the impact of pornography on campus, said Kent Wilson, a staff member with Purdue's Campus Crusade for Christ, or Purdue Cru, which is sponsoring the event.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

More than just an exposé of the sex industry, "Porn Nation" integrates the intimate story of a recovering sex addict, Michael Leahy, with insight into the country's sex-saturated society, Wilson said. The presentation begins with video sound bites of students answering the question "What do you think about porn?" with glimpses of today's college culture.

Leahy was the focus of a recent ABC "20/20" report on the impact that Internet pornography is having on marriages, careers and lives. Porn Nation was a featured Lecture Showcase at the Northeast Regional Conference of the National Association for Collegiate Activities in Massachusetts in November.

"Porn is now the norm in our culture, and no one understands that better than today's college students," Leahy said. "From the rapid rise of cyber porn addiction among male and female college students to its role in influencing the high incidence of rapes and prevalence of eating disorders among college co-eds, the growing influence of porn in the midst of an already sexually charged campus culture is taking a very real toll on students' lives."

Leahy founded Bravehearts, an Atlanta-based non-profit in 2001. Bravehearts' mission is to help students build lives of sexual integrity and to encourage healthy relationships with others free from sexual compulsion and addiction.

Writer: Christy Jones, (765) 494-1089, christyjones@purdue.edu

Source: Kent Wilson, (765) 491-3189, kent.wilson@uscm.org

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: The media is invited to attend the presentation. To schedule an interview or make arrangements for photography, contact Kent Wilson, (765) 491-3189, kent.wilson@uscm.org

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