The annual School of Social Work conference is happening this Friday in the BYU Conference Center, and will be focused on pornography addiction and families.
Ken Matheson, the faculty member who orchestrated the conference, said this is the first time the School of Social Work has sponsored the conference with this topic. He explained that there’s a great need to talk about this subject and it is a message people need to hear.
“This is a conference where we already have 45o people signed up,” he said.
The conference is free and they’re not going to turn anyone away. So no matter how full they get, Matheson said they’re going to do everything they can to accommodate anyone who wants to be there.Different professionals and experts will be addressing and educating students on the topic of pornography addiction.
Michael Buxton, an associate clinical professor in the BYU counseling and psychological services office, feels that picking this theme was a great idea for the School of Social Work.
“I’m betting me and a few of my colleagues have talked personally to more students about this issue over the past 13 years than anyone else,” Buxton said in an email.
Although Buxton has helped many students struggling with pornography addiction, he has also witnessed many students overcome it.
“I have seen many young people courageously address the issues surrounding the pain and humiliation of their use of pornography,” Buxton said. “Success is most likely when self-worth is strongly validated, emotional and relational growth occurs, and sexuality is not an avoided topic, but a rich avenue of self-understanding which can lead to a more mature approach to marriage.”
Mark Butler, a professor in the School of Family Life, agreed that this was a wise topic selection for the School of Social Work to choose.
Butler explained that due to the rise of technology and the Internet, along with the increase in cultural permissiveness regarding sexuality, pornography addiction has become a problem for many people.
Butler feels that many students don’t seek help because they fear if they reach out to someone it might be seen as unacceptable or shameful, or they fear getting in trouble with their bishop or the Honor Code Office.
“You have to be aware that addiction thrives in darkness and secrecy,” Butler said.
When you ignore it, you take the risk of it growing, he explained.
There will be two sessions for this conference. The first will start at 1:15 p.m. and the next session will begin at 2:30 p.m. and will be a repeat of the first session.