From Catching Predators to Teaching Kids How to Stay Safe Online

*This episode contains discussion of sexual violence, strangulation, deepfakes, and image-based exploitation. Listener discretion is advised.In this episode, we dive into the connection between pornography and sexual violence. From the prevalence of strangulation porn and its influence on real-world abuse, to the rise of AI deepfakes and image-based exploitation, to how social media is exposing kids to harmful content earlier than ever, this conversation highlights why awareness and action are so critical. Together, Natale and Elisabeth unpack the data, stories, and cultural trends shaping how pornography impacts individuals, relationships, and society, and how each of us can be part of the solution.Episode Resources:Episode CitationsShop: FTND StoreImage-Based Sexual Abuse ResourcesPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 96: Valiant RicheyAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual assault, nonconsensual image sharing, racism, and fetishization. Listener discretion is advised.Kaila Yu is the author of the new memoir, Fetishized. In this episode, Kaila opens up about her personal journey navigating fetishization, media exploitation, and a sexual assault that was recorded and shared without her consent. We explore how pornography and media have distorted perceptions of Asian women, stripping away individuality and fueling harmful stereotypes that echo far beyond the screen. Kaila’s story highlights both the personal toll of these narratives and the urgent need to challenge them.Episode Resources:Kaila's Book: FetishizedKaila's Instagram: @KailayuArticle: 6 Marginalized & Vulnerable Groups of People Porn FetishizesPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 125: Melanie ThompsonAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Mike Lemon is the founder of Cyber Safe School and a former Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigator. After decades spent tracking down online predators, he now dedicates his work to helping parents, educators, and students prevent online exploitation, especially sextortion. In this episode, Mike explains how predators are targeting youth, why sextortion cases are rapidly increasing, the role of AI in these crimes, and what families can do to protect kids in today’s digital world.Episode Resources:Article: Why Financial Sextortion Is Targeting Teens and Spreading FastPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 138: Shannon and JohnNewsletter: Cyber Safe SchoolFacebook Group: Cyber Safe FamiliesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

*This episode contains a detailed discussion of child abuse, sexual violence, human trafficking, and trauma. Listener discretion is advised.Dr. Suamhirs Piraino-Guzman is a behavioral neurologist, clinical psychologist, human trafficking survivor, and international human rights advocate. In this powerful episode, he shares his story of surviving severe childhood abuse and trafficking, navigating the foster care and immigration systems, and turning his trauma into a lifelong mission to support other survivors. Now working globally with the United Nations and providing trauma-informed care to thousands of trafficking victims, Dr. Piraino-Guzman sheds light on the complex realities of exploitation, the importance of healing-centered systems, and why boys and men must be included in conversations about trafficking and sexual violence. Even after experiencing the worst of humanity, he chooses to lead with hope, trust, and compassion, and invites us all to do the same.Epiosde Resources:National Survivor NetworkSurvivor AllianceVictim ResourcesDr. Piraino-Guzman's LinkedInCourt Appointed Special Advocates (CASA)Universal Declaration of Human RightsArticle: 15 Facts About Human Sex TraffickingArticle: Parents—If You Don’t Teach Your Kids About Sex, Porn Sites WillAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Lorna was just 17 years old when a photoshopped, explicit image of her began circulating online, marking the beginning of a years-long nightmare involving deepfakes, stalking, and online blackmail.In this episode, Lorna shares how someone used her image to create fake profiles and explicit deepfakes, leading to relentless harassment that spilled from the internet into her everyday life. She opens up about her experience reporting the crime to police, the long road toward justice, and her personal journey of healing.Episode Resources:Article: The Alarming Rise of Deepfake Porn and Its Devastating EffectsPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep.88: Victoria GalyVictim ResourcesAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Jeremiah is a husband, an expecting father, and a self-described lifelong learner who found himself struggling with a compulsive porn habit that began in his teens and escalated in college, when he found himself viewing content he would never act out in real life. In this episode, Jeremiah candidly shares how his use of pornography affected his relationships, mental health, and sense of self, particularly during the early stages of his marriage. He opens up about the moment his wife discovered the truth, the shame he experienced, and what sparked his decision to pursue real recovery. Episode Resources:Article: How Porn Can Become an Escalating BehaviorRecovery ResourcesPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 112: RobertAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

*Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual abuse. Listener discretion is advised.Rachel was first exposed to pornography at seven years old and went on to develop an addiction to porn for the next thirteen years. Despite getting treatment for anxiety and depression as a young girl, she never felt like she could tell others about her struggle with porn because it was something that "girls didn't struggle with." Rachel discusses the shame she felt from being a girl struggling with porn, how being exposed to violent pornography from such a young age caused her to be desensitized to an abusive relationship, and why she now encourages people to talk about their struggle in order to break from the shame that so often keeps them struggling.This episode is a re-release. It was first released in July of 2023.  Episode Resources:Article: Why Fighting Porn Must Include Fighting ShameVideo: How I Realized I Had A Porn Problem: Myuniqe's StoryPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep.100: Madi  Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Victoria Sinis is the founder of Creating Gems, an organization created to help young women break free from harmful narratives about themselves. Victoria used to work for an OnlyFans agency, recruiting creators, curating their social media presence, and managing marketing funnels designed to drive traffic to explicit content. In this episode, she shares what made her walk away from an industry she once believed was empowering.This episode is a re-release. It was first released in June of 2024.  Episode ResourcesArticle: Why So Many Teen Girls Are Planning on Becoming OnlyFans StarsArticle: What Porn, Loneliness, and OnlyFans Have To Do with Men Buying SexPodcast: Consider Before Consuming, Ep. 109: You Asked, We AnsweredVictoria's Website: Creating Gems Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Rosalia Rivera is a consent educator and abuse prevention specialist who works to help parents break cycles of abuse through empowered, proactive conversations. In this episode of Consider Before Consuming, she shares her personal experiences with pornography, the dangers of leaving sex education to the internet, and how parents can build safe, shame-free spaces for their children to learn about consent and autonomy. She also dives into how pornography plays a role in grooming, the rise in child-on-child sexual abuse, and why media literacy and digital safety are more important than ever.Episode ResourcesConsent ParentingPodcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 17: Heidi OlsonBook: I Said No by Kimberly KingBook: Good Pictures, Bad Pictures by Kristen JensonFTND Parent Resource Page Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Trigger WarningThis episode includes topics of child sextortion and suicide. Listener discretion is advised. Episode DescriptionIn this episode of Consider Before Consuming, Shannon Heacock and John Burnett share the deeply personal and devastating story of their son, Elijah. Recently, at just 16 years old, Elijah became a victim of sextortion — a form of online exploitation where predators manipulate and blackmail their victims using threats and explicit imagery, sometimes even using AI-generated content. Tragically, the manipulation and fear led Elijah to take his own life. John and Shannon’s courage in telling Elijah’s story is rooted in their hope that it can prevent other families from facing the same heartbreaking loss.Episode Resources Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Call or Text "988"NCMEC Resource: Take it DownVictim ResourcesArticle: Understanding Sextortion: A Growing Threat and How to Protect Yourself Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy