Consider Before Consuming

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 Fast [https://fightthenewdrug.org/financial-sextortion-teen-crisis/] * Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 138: Shannon and John [https://considerbeforeconsumingpodcast.com/theyre-after-everybodys-kid-a-familys-story-of-loss-to-sextortion/] * Newsletter: Cyber Safe School [https://cybersafeschool.org/newsletter] * Facebook Group: Cyber Safe Families [https://www.facebook.com/groups/csfamilies/] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [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 Network [https://nationalsurvivornetwork.org/] * Survivor Alliance [https://www.survivoralliance.org/] * Victim Resources [https://fightthenewdrug.org/victim-resources/] * Dr. Piraino-Guzman's LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-suamhirs/] * Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) [https://nationalcasagal.org/] * Universal Declaration of Human Rights [https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights] * Article: 15 Facts About Human Sex Trafficking [https://fightthenewdrug.org/basic-facts-about-sex-trafficking/] * Article: Parents—If You Don’t Teach Your Kids About Sex, Porn Sites Will [https://fightthenewdrug.org/teach-your-kids-about-sex-so-porn-wont/] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [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 Effects [https://fightthenewdrug.org/the-rise-of-deepfake-porn/] * Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep.88: Victoria Galy [https://considerbeforeconsumingpodcast.com/my-ex-uploaded-videos-of-me-to-pornhub-without-my-consent/] * Victim Resources [https://fightthenewdrug.org/victim-resources/] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [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 Behavior [https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-porn-can-become-an-escalating-behavior/] * Recovery Resources [https://fightthenewdrug.org/resources/#get-help] * Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep. 112: Robert [https://considerbeforeconsumingpodcast.com/finding-the-light-my-journey-from-addiction-to-freedom-from-pornography/] Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [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 Shame [https://fightthenewdrug.org/why-fighting-porn-must-include-fighting-shame] * Video: How I Realized I Had A Porn Problem: Myuniqe's Story [https://fightthenewdrug.org/how-i-realized-i-had-a-problem] * Podcast: Consider Before Consuming Ep.100: Madi [https://considerbeforeconsumingpodcast.com/do-women-struggle-with-porn/]   Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands [https://redcircle.com/brands] Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy [https://redcircle.com/privacy]