GOP platform draft proclaims porn a 'menace' and 'public health crisis'

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As Republicans chipped away at their draft party platform on Monday, one issue sparked little debate: declaring internet pornography a "public health crisis."

Mary Frances Forrester, a delegate from North Carolina, proposed the amendment during a subcommittee meeting. The provision states that the internet "must not become a safe haven for predators," CNN reports, and the "harmful effects" of pornography, "especially on children," have created a "public health crisis that is destroying the life of millions." The GOP is encouraging states to "continue to fight this public menace and pledge our commitment to children's safety and well-being. We applaud the social networking sites that bar sex offenders from participation. We urge energetic prosecution of child pornography which [is] closely linked to human trafficking."

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.