Fighting Human Trafficking at Its Core: Clay Olsen’s Perspective
In my ongoing efforts to combat child trafficking, I’ve had the privilege of connecting with many dedicated individuals who are committed to ending human trafficking. One such remarkable person is Clay Olsen, CEO and Co-Founder of the PHASE Alliance.
Clay Olsen is an inspiring leader in the fight against sexual exploitation. He began his journey with the nonprofit organization Fight The New Drug, which he transformed from a side project into a full-time mission over ten years. Clay’s extensive travels around the world have connected him with top neuroscientists and countless individuals, all while spreading awareness about the profound impacts of pornography on society. His work cuts through political and religious divides, aiming to educate and awaken the current generation to these pressing issues.
During our conversation, Clay emphasized that we cannot have an honest discussion about trafficking without addressing the root causes. Pornography is a main artery leading to sexual exploitation and addiction, fueling the demand for trafficking. The early and unlimited access to porn is re-wiring brains, shaping what Clay refers to as the “arousal template,” and ultimately driving the demand for trafficking.
Clay shared a poignant story about a 50-year-old man who started consuming porn at 16 when his mother dropped a box of magazines on his bed. This access pales in comparison to today’s unlimited online content, with the average age of exposure now between 8 to 11 years old. Approximately 40-80% of this content distorts the depiction of realistic relationships, leading to long-term conditioning that contributes to issues like sex tourism and trafficking.
One of the most shocking revelations Clay shared is that the U.S. is the #1 exporter of sex tourists, with a significant demand for sexually exploited children right in our own backyards. The statistics are alarming: 64% of teens who have viewed porn see it as a realistic depiction of relationships, and 80% of the most popular porn clips are physically and verbally aggressive towards women.
Clay recounted a powerful story from his high school presentations. A young girl revealed that she had been abused and trafficked by her grandfather and exploited by her brother for the last ten years. Sadly, this story was echoed by another student at a different school on the same day, highlighting the pervasive nature of this issue.
The PHASE Alliance aims to radically decrease victimization through prevention and rehabilitation. Their mission is to address social conditioning to reduce demand and support those caught in the darkness. They combine resources and expertise to create a synergistic effort in combating this rapidly growing criminal enterprise.
Successful aftercare is a crucial component of their work. Providing survivors with high school diplomas and online college degrees helps prevent them from falling back into exploitation due to a lack of opportunity or education. Clay stressed that while individual victories are significant, systemic changes are necessary to curb the growing enterprise.
Clay’s message is clear: whatever skills, resources, or vision you have, let’s support one another because the problem is big enough to require all hands on deck. RSCU Mobile aims to reach 400,000 lines to generate $1M in donation revenue, helping advance causes like those championed by the PHASE Alliance.
We can all do a little that collectively makes a big difference.
To learn more about how you can join the fight against child trafficking, visit https://rscumobile.com/ . Together, we can make a profound impact and help end human trafficking.