TAMPA – Sexual abuse survivor-turned-advocate Lauren Book lambasted a recent New York high court ruling that it’s not illegal to “merely” view child pornography and called it “an alarming outrage that will open the door to increased acceptance of child sexual abuse.
Lauren Book issued the following statement today from the Alpha House in Tampa:
“Child pornography is a multi-billion dollar business that profits from the exploitation and spiritual devastation of children. This court ruling is an egregious assault on children’s rights that gives a lewd and lascivious license to pedophiles. By making it ok for adults to view child pornography on a computer, the sick industry that profits from the sexual exploitation of children just got a powerful legal boost. I applaud the New York lawmakers who have moved quickly to try and close this dangerous loophole. Clearly, lawmakers across the country need to act rapidly to make it clear that anyone who creates a supply or fills a demand for child pornography is appropriately punished. A ruling like this only emboldens child pornographers and the twisted individuals who are their market. Unwittingly, the court has aided and abetted the porn industry.”
The Alpha House of Tampa is a licensed maternity home providing residential services to pregnant women, foster care teens, young mothers and their children, including victims of sexual abuse, assault or exploitation.
The Alpha House of Tampa has 20 dormitory-style bedrooms in its maternity ward. Each room has a design team and an “adopter” that sponsors the room for a year. Lauren’s Kids is serving as an “adopter” for one room undergoing a renovation on Tuesday. The Lauren’s Kids design team will have 48-hours to implement their designs and completely make over the room.
In 2011, Alpha House created the Room of Her Own project in conjunction with its 30th anniversary. The initiative was started to make the dormitory-style housing into a more comfortable atmosphere that felt like a home.
Read more about the N.Y. ruling here: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/may/13/backlash-grows-at-ruling-on-viewing-of-child-porn/

