Reformed porn addict draws huge crowd at N.C. State

RALEIGH — Pornography cost Michael Leahy his wife, kids, six-figure salary and any aspect of his life that ever mattered to him.

Leahy, a former pornography addict, shared that experience with about 1,500 N.C. State University students Thursday night at Reynolds Coliseum.

The event — titled Porn Nation — was sponsored by N.C. State’s Campus Crusade for Christ and a collection of other university groups, including student government and the women’s center.

Michael Mehaffie, director of Campus Crusade for Christ, said pornography addiction is an issue of concern for many of his students.

That concern, combined with the arrest of a student in connection with child pornography last semester, triggered Mehaffie to contact Leahy and his Bravehearts group about coming to N.C. State.

Mehaffie first saw Leahy when he appeared on “20/20.”

After speaking with a friend at Vanderbilt University who was bringing Leahy to his own campus, Mehaffie decided to get NCSU added to Leahy’s college tour.

Leahy will give another speech at N.C. State today before continuing on to Texas Tech University.

He will present Porn Nation at more than 40 schools this year.

“I see campuses as ground zero in the battle,” Leahy said.

The pornography industry has thrust itself upon college campuses and has been adamant and outspoken about targeting college students — both as consumers and potential employees, Leahy added.

“In my day, there was Playboy and the bra section in the Sears catalog. Today there is so much more,” Mehaffie said.

With the increased availability of the Internet and the increase in the number of cable television channels, pornography is becoming easier to come by and easier to view in privacy, Leahy said.

“In my day, you made a conscious choice to go get it. Today, it’s really pushed on you … in the music, the advertising,” Leahy said.

This invasive element makes pornography addiction harder to overcome than other addictions because a person cannot avoid sexuality like a reformed alcoholic could avoid a drink, he said.

“We’re sharing what was true for us, not what’s right or wrong for them,” Leahy said.

Leahy added that he opposes censorship and that trying to censor sexuality would be nearly impossible anyway — it’s too pervasive.

Leahy noted that this was not exclusively a man’s problem.

“Many people think pornography is hate speech against women,” Leahy said.

The majority of people used to think that excessive sexuality could lead to eating disorders, low self-esteem, increased date rape and a submissive sexual attitude in women, he added.

There is also now a rise in the number of women who are addicted to pornography.

Porn Nation might make a stop at UNC in fall 2006 or spring 2007, Leahy said.

Nothing is scheduled yet, but Leahy said Campus Crusade for Christ at UNC has contacted him with interest.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.