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#WRAPWeek.

More than likely, that hashtag is new to you. But follow it on Twitter or Instagram and you may find stories of victory, and heartbreaking ones of destroyed lives, marriages, and families.

These stories often go undocumented and overlooked. They are among the forgotten tragedies of our generation. And of the growing few who are even willing to address these accounts at all, many dismiss them as exaggerations or the ramblings of religious prudes.

It's time to break the silence. WRAP stands for White Ribbon Against Pornography.

The white ribbon has long represented fights for justice, equality, as well as various awareness campaigns within the past decades. With WRAP, the white color illustrates the purity and innocence of children; an innocence that is slowly being stripped away by pornified pop culture and mass media, in which a man or woman's worth is based solely on their level of sexual attraction/performance. And every year, beginning on the last Sunday of October, WRAP Week reminds us to take a stand against this great evil.

Somehow, in spite of how pervasive today's porn culture is, many of us are afraid to even breach the subject of our new pandemic. Some, because of their own addiction to pornography, hesitate to share their secret for fear of condemnation and isolation further than the addiction itself heaps on them. Others, having been brought up (whether blatantly or subconsciously) to see sex as something dirty or shameful, can't even bring themselves to face the fact that porn is as great a problem as it is, let alone speak of it. Shame is a powerful silencer. Still others speak openly, but from a platform of prudishness. They wish for the "good old days" when young'ns believed babies were delivered by storks up until the day before their wedding. To have something as scandalous as sexuality recorded for the world to view? In their eyes, nothing could be more tragic.

On the other hand, there are some who speak up only for shock value. If sex sells, why not cash in?

I'm neither prude, nor shocker. To be honest, I'm a little worried about how this post will be received by my readers. Going deep is scary, but like it or not, we can't ignore porn anymore.

Here are 5 reasons why we need to talk about pornography:

1. Porn is not sex. Porn works on the faulty assumption that what the viewers are observing is normal. Pornographers and performers might admit it's "heightened reality" when pressed, but your average Joe or Jane doesn't know this. So when a boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse refuses to be their partner's personal porn star, and the addict believes that what he or she watches is to be expected, relationships have nowhere to go but down. (Hint: women don't actually like being abused, bro.) On top of this, many people develop a shameful attitude towards healthy sex and natural desires after being exposed to pornography. Not cool.

2. Porn is a drug. It isn't just a nasty behavior which a man or woman can “stop anytime”. Without getting too deep into the science of it, viewing porn releases chemicals such as dopamine and oxytocin in the brain in dangerous levels. In normal levels that's all good, but the hyper-stimulation is similar to the stimulation a brain on cocain experiences. So when someone tells you that no matter how hard they try, they can't seem to quit porn, they're telling the truth.

3. Addicts are all around you. And this isn't just a male issue either. Studies report that anywhere from 17-20% of women consider themselves addicted to this drug and 50% are users in some form. And in men, these numbers are higher -- up to 70%. That means your brother, sister, mom, dad, best friend -- even your pastor -- could be addicted. No one is above the temptation and allure of pornography.

4. We don't need your pity. The worst thing you can do to those of us who have battled, are currently recovering from, or are in the midst of a porn addiction is pity or despise us. I'm not implying that anyone should be accepting of an addict's behavior, or diminish just how dark pornography is -- please don't do that. But do accept the addict or former addict as a person. Because, well, we are. Nothing is more empowering in recovery than a friend or loved one who will stay with you through thick and thin, and nothing is more likely to encourage the addiction cycle than someone who doesn't believe in you.

5. Recovery is possible. I'm a follower of Jesus, and I'm unashamed of my faith. I've found that trusting in God gives me courage to continually overcome many different trials in my life, including pornography. With that said, Christians aren't the only ones seeing the harm that porn causes. People of all walks of life, religious and non-religious alike, are waking up and taking a stand against this new drug. And if you're struggling, you are not alone in your fight. Resources are available for those battling addiction. Some great ones are the Fortify recovery program by Fight the New Drug, Covenant Eyes, and XXX Church, among various others. Don't be discouraged; get help!

There's so much more I wish I could say, but I just don't have the space. Nonetheless, the facts are in; porn is harmful. Wanna get more info to help you fight? Check out FightTheNewDrug.org and learn what YOU can do to raise awareness. Find out what goes on behind the scenes in the porn industry. Let your heart be broken for the people it destroys. Above all, go out and show love.

Happy WRAP Week, everyone. Speak up and let your voice be heard!

Have you been affected by porn? Do you have a story of restoration? I'd love to hear it. Drop a comment below!