It’s easy to see porn stars as “other” or to look at people struggling with addictions to pornography and think, “At least I’m not that bad.” But the truth is sexual sin is a whole lot more pervasive in our culture than we are often willing to accept.
Brittni De La Mora, a former porn star who now leads XXX Church, a parachurch organization dedicated to helping men and women exit the porn industry and overcome their addictions to pornography, is hoping to pull back the curtain on the porn industry in a new video series, “eXXXamine — Real & Raw Conversations About Porn & Purity.”
“When you hear the words ‘porn star’ or even ‘sex addict’ or any of these things, it can come with this almost like a filth, like other people can look at them like, ‘Oh, they’re dirty’ or, ‘They’re not like me,’” De La Mora said. “But the reality is we’re all sinners; we’ve all fallen short of the glory of God.”
The new series will feature interviews with former porn addicts, an ex-porn star, a pastor, a wife whose husband was addicted to pornography, and a woman who chose to remain a virgin until her wedding day, among others.
Last week, XXX Church debuted the first episode in which De La Mora interviewed former porn addict Bri Azucena.
Asked if she intentionally chose to lead with a woman who struggled with pornography, De La Mora said the decision was intentional because she wants to “break the stigma” by making clear porn “isn’t just a man’s issue.”
“So many women are suffering in silence,” she said, “and it breaks my heart because they feel like they’re alone and the reality is they’re not alone.”
While there isn’t as much data available regarding the number of women who use pornography, De La Mora is absolutely right about the fact women do struggle with addictions to smut. A 2007 survey found that 13 million American women visit explicit websites each month, and 2015 data found one-third of women watch pornography at least once a week. On top of that, 2016 research found more than half of women under the age of 25 — 56 percent — seek out pornography.
During the interview, Azucena talked with De La Mora about her own struggle to admit she was looking at pornography, fearing she would be kicked out of ministry work at her church or looked down upon for admitting her secret sin.
But it was ultimately that transparency that brought freedom to Azucena.
“Don’t overthink it and just do it,” De La Mora said after being asked what advice she would give someone struggling to admit they’re battling an addiction to pornography. “Find somebody you can trust, and just tell them.”
“Sometimes that’s all it takes, is opening up to somebody who can help you walk through the journey of healing, because you can’t do it alone and you weren’t designed to do it alone,” she continued. “God created us to be in relationship with people and so to be able to open up to somebody and receive that grace is going to help you.”
If you are struggling to kick sexual sin out of your life, Faithwire has a seven-week video e-course, Set Free, designed specifically with you in mind. For more information about the course or to enroll, click here.