How a Young Father Convinces Thousands of Teens to Quit Porn

Who has convinced thousands of teens to quit porn? And how on earth did he do it? In celebration of awesome dads everywhere, I'd like you to meet a hip young father who's using science to convince youth that "porn kills love."

Clay Olsen is co-founder and CEO of Fight the New Drug (FTND), a non-profit organization has spoken to over 200,000 high school and middle school students about the harmful effects of pornography. And he's making a difference in their attitudes. In surveys taken after the presentation, 89% of previously undecided teens no longer perceived pornography as harmless. And 93% of previously undecided teens agreed that porn could become an addiction after they were taught the science during FTND's multi-media presentation. Wow! Clay Olsen has made porn NOT COOL!

If you’re a concerned parent, you'll want to understand how Clay Olsen is changing the conversation about pornography from "Hey dude, check this out" to "Hey dude, that's messed up." He's igniting a movement which can give us all hope!

[Check out the FREE list at the end of this post from one of Clay’s amazing presentations: 5 Things Teens Wish Their Parents Knew about Porn.]

When we look back on history, we’ll recognize that Clay Olsen was a complete game changer in the fight to raise awareness about the public health crisis of pornography. Clay started out as a passionate filmmaker, marketer and entrepreneur, but after seeing a family member convicted of a crime that had its beginnings in pornography, Clay realized that there was much more people needed to know about the harms of porn. So in 2009, he and some college friends started Fight the New Drug. It soon became Clay’s mission in life. Watch this video of their amazing story in Clay's own words.

Since then, Clay has represented Fight the New Drug on national TV shows and news programs, radio shows and at national and international conferences. But if you were to sit down with him for a chat, here’s what he’d say about why he fights, how his two daughters have changed his motivation, and his message of encouragement for other dads. I appreciate the time Clay took to do this interview so I could share it with you.

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Why do you fight?

The answer has evolved. When I started FTND, I just thought on a surface level that people should be better informed. There’s more to this issue than we’re giving it credit. When I was a kid, I found out that one of my older cousins was going to prison. His entire downward spiral was connected with his addiction to pornography. I started doing some research, trying to find out what science was available. I found out there was no organization promoting the public health approach. I saw an opportunity to take a youthful approach using science as a foundation.

My resolve and passion for this cause has deepened daily when I hear stories of people whose lives have been affected by porn. When I look at our society and see the trend toward a disordered sexual template, it’s an enormous motivator to stand up and be a voice of reason and truth and to help others recognize what’s really at stake here. It’s far deeper than I ever imagined when I started Fight the New Drug.

I also fight because there’s too much at stake. The sad thing is that our society is clueless about what is really at stake--our ability to create loving relationships. I’m not willing to sit idly by as we see an entire generation is hurt by a completely different perspective about love, sexuality and intimacy. I’m not willing to leave this world without trying to make a difference. We all need to rise up and change the conversation.

FTND is changing the conversation among youth! They offer assemblies at schools, Street Teams, Fighter Clubs, awesome t-shirts, posters, wrist bands, and even a billboard campaigns focusing on the truth that Porn Kills Love™. They've developed a free recovery program to help teens quit porn called Fortify. Check out this video about their amazing school assemblies that have impacted almost tens of thousands of students.

How has becoming a dad changed your motivation?

I have two little girls under the age of 4. I was passionate about this cause before, but upon becoming a dad of two innocent little girls and knowing what kids’ attitudes are today, I’m terrified. Maybe everyone feels this way about the next generation, but this is unprecedented in the history of the world. The nature of porn has changed and that is warping an entire generation’s perception of sexuality.

The tidal wave of harm has not reached our shores yet—it’s still a few miles away. When all of these kids become the decision makers, that’s when we’ll see the impact of today’s acceptance and impact and porn.

Because of this, my resolve and commitment of educating others has never been stronger or more focused. I now fight for my daughter’s sake and for other daughters who are not mine.

What world will we pass off to our children? Today we need to make that change.

What I’ve learned has also given me more sympathy and empathy for those who are struggling to quit porn. My reaction if one of my kids gets trapped in porn, will be different. I might have been far more judgmental and even hurt and disappointed. Now my hurt would be for them, a sympathy for their struggle. I would be in their corner with love and encouragement to help them overcome.

Clay knows how porn is affecting even younger kids. Why? Because kids as young as 7 are emailing him about their struggles with pornography! Yikes!

What's your message for other fathers?

Get in the game. The reality is that many parents avoid educating their children. Fathers want to pass this off to the mothers and mothers want to pass this off to the fathers. But both influences are needed. When it comes to pornography, we no longer have the luxury to keep our heads in the sand. Get in the game. Talk. Discuss. Open up and help. Otherwise we’re throwing our kids to wolves. There are now more resources to help. I always tell parents about the book Good Pictures Bad Pictures. We need to be more aware and helpful to our kids on this subject--it’s really a matter of protecting the well-being of our children.

Fight for love and show your love. We need to be the prime example of what healthy relationships look like with our spouses and others who are important to us. They need to see us and hear us exemplify what real love looks like. That example will be very effective in helping kids see the difference between real love and pornography.

Don't judge. Parents, you grew up in a different era. You never had to deal with what your kids do now. You may not even be able to comprehend their world. Rather than judging them, try to understand their world so you can be as effective and influential as possible.