“Real Men” Don't Buy Girls

“Real Men Don’t Buy Girls” Ashton Kutcher stressed at the official launch of the DNA Foundation's new campaign. I was impressed by Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher's hope to raise awareness of child sex slavery and child sexual exploitation and child pornography.

When I was 12, I read a book about a girl sold by her parents and sent to India to be used in the sex industry. Her experiences as a sex slave made me cry. I felt so helpless and saddened by the idea that anyone should be forced to endure such injustice. In the novel, she was younger than I was. Yet, her parents sold her for less money than it cost for my family to eat out for dinner. Her innocence was ripped away repeatedly. It shook me. It made me realise that to be female was to make me weak. That being female meant that men could view me as an object rather than as a human being. Furthermore, due to the male dominated society in which we currently live...it meant that I was sexually vulnerable. I am no longer twelve and I realize that the book was fictional. However, I know that worse things are happening daily. GLOBALLY. Ashton Kutcher told us real stories: such as that of a girl child gang raped in the US. He impressed me. I was not a fan of his movies. He tends to act in Chickflicks. Not my type of film. However, I have changed my mind. I may not have much power. I am still just one voice. However, he has a voice and he choses to use it. That impresses me. If watching his films aids this, then watch them I will...because I know that he is using his voice and fame for a worthy cause. 


This campaign has some chance because it is supported by good technological sense. Jack Dorsey, creator, co-founder and chairman of Twitter and CEO of Square, Pamela Passman, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President of Global Corporate Affairs both discussed their corporations initiatives to help end the child sex trade. This impressed me.

Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore launch "Real Men Don't buy Girls"

Ashton Kutcher impressed me. It is rare. I think that the message that was stated has value. It is true. Real men don't buy Girls. REAL men, don't hit women or rape them or intimidate those who are dis-empowered. Real men don't. But how do we get real men involved in ending this? The sex industry is surrounded by taboos. Yet 1 in 3 men have participated in it in some way. Whether by watching porn or by going to a strip club. They do not see it as wrong. We as a society are beginning to lose the boundary between what is reprehensible and what is acceptable. But children do not have a choice. We must give them the choice. It is our (ALL our) collective responsibility to shield the most vulnerable within society from those who would take advantage. The scariest part of this cycle is the role that women also play in it. We turn the blind eye, we ignore it, we hide it, we raise sons who continue the cycle, we condemn ourselves and the future generations by saying nothing or taking no stand.


However, it is hard to do so. Society, culture and life is such that women can't always stand up against this. Sometimes, it is not possible to take a public stance; however, that is not an excuse for not trying to change things. Whether it is not blaming the rape victim for being raped, standing up against marital violence or raising a future generation of REAL men...we can all do our part to make sure that this doesn't continue. Children do not make choices. Therefore, we must protect them.


"There is no way we could live in this world, and not do something about it," Kutcher said. He is right. THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN LIVE IN THIS WORLD and NOT DO SOMETHING.  Help End Child Sex Slavery! Please join the campaign. Demi Moore stated

"Real men don't buy girls. They protect them...We're

 recruiting real men who have the courage to stand up

 against this issue"