Newsletter: Meet the Woman Who Took Down Pornhub
What you need to know about modern trafficking
This week’s Influence Continuum features Laila Mickelwait, author of the new book Takedown: Inside the Fight to Shut Down Pornhub for Child Abuse, Rape, and Sex Trafficking. She is also the founder and CEO of the Justice Defense Fund, a non-profit organization that seeks to help bring justice to survivors of online sexual crimes. This interview will be hard to listen to, as it contains mention of child sexual abuse, rape, and trafficking. Still, it is vital to understand how easy it is for predators to use online platforms to perpetrate their crimes and how we must strive for a fundamental change in our laws and culture to protect our youth from such nightmares.
Last week marked the passing of my dear friend and mentor, Dr. Philip Zimbardo. He was a legendary psychologist, author, and giant in my field. I have recorded a short salute to this great man. I also have previous blogs and video interviews with him for you to peruse.
I appeared recently on comedian Craig Shoemaker’s podcast, My Wife Joined A Cult. We discussed the powerful mind control techniques cults use to recruit and retain members and brought hope for those hoping that their loved ones will reclaim their freedom.
Many of us are nervous about the outcome in the final weeks before the election. My blog post in Psychology Today has some solid advice on staying sane and safe during this difficult time and even after the election. I know you’ll find it helpful—please share it widely!
Laila Mickelwait is the author of the new book Takedown: Inside the Fight to Shut Down Pornhub for Child Abuse, Rape, and Sex Trafficking. She is also the founder and CEO of the Justice Defense Fund, a non-profit organization that seeks to help bring justice to survivors of online sexual crimes. In our interview, she told us that she was a new mother when she saw precisely the toll Pornhub was taking on victims, such as suicide attempts after torment by others or navigating persistent harmful thoughts. Worst of all, in many instances, it appeared that the victims were underage.
Read the blog post, or listen to the podcast, below:
I sat down with comedian and podcaster Craig Shoemaker on his podcast, My Wife Joined A Cult, to discuss how cults recruit, the mechanics of mind control, and how we can help our loved ones out.
Navigating the political landscape during an election season can challenge even the most resilient minds. Tensions rise, relationships become strained, social media posts become overwhelming, and the news becomes a dizzying tangle of aggressive, emotionally charged messaging. In times like these, it’s important to focus on maintaining mental well-being while also striving to foster connection and compassion across political divides.
In Memory of Dr. Philip G. Zimbardo
Interviews with Dr. Zimbardo Playlist
Dr. Philip Zimbardo’s 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE): A Response to Critics
Heroic Imagination as a Positive Project for Human Rights
As always, please let us know what you think about these pieces or what you’d like to see us discuss in the future. Thanks so much!
