By Qamar Bashir
The global crisis of sexual exploitation did not happen by chance. It was the direct consequence of a single legal decision: the June 21, 1973 ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court in Miller v. California, which legalized the distribution and marketing of adult content under the guise of free speech. This decision unleashed a monster that grew unchecked, embedding itself into cultures, economies, and digital landscapes worldwide.
Today, we are living with the consequences of that decision, and unless the root cause is reversed, no legal reform, including the recently passed TAKE IT DOWN Act, will be enough to stop the damage.
The pornography industry is not a small fringe sector—it is a global behemoth. Estimates
put its annual revenue between $97 billion and $100 billion. In the United States alone,
the industry contributes between $12 and $20 billion to the economy. In California, over
50,000 individuals work in the porn sector, from performers to production crews. This
industry thrives on the exploitation of women, children, and marginalized
communities—turning human intimacy into a commodity for mass consumption.
The online adult entertainment market, valued at $76 billion in 2024, is projected to
exceed $118 billion by 2030. Cable and satellite providers also profit enormously,
retaining up to 80% of pay-per-view revenues from adult content. And this is not a
phenomenon confined to the United States. The ripple effects of America’s legal
precedent have spread worldwide, creating industries of sexual exploitation in vulnerable
countries.
Thailand: Once known for its cultural heritage, Thailand has become a global hub for sex
tourism. Thousands of women and children, often trafficked, are trapped in an industry
catering to foreign demand, particularly from Western countries.
Philippines: The country faces an epidemic of online sexual exploitation of children
(OSEC). Tens of thousands of minors are coerced into performing explicit acts in front of
webcams, with paying customers predominantly in the U.S. and Europe. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) reported over 30,000 cases of OSEC in a single year.
-Writer is Press Secretary to the President (Rtd)
Former Press Minister at the Embassy of Pakistan to France
Former MD, SRBC
Macomb, Michigan, USA.
