The Truth Behind Poverty Porn

The Truth Behind Poverty Porn

In the midst of watching your favorite Monday night TV show, a commercial catches your attention. You see a little boy, clearly from Africa, with wide eyes staring straight into the camera and then right at you. The montage of poverty continues until a phone number flashes on the screen. It screams, “call this number and donate now!” This is poverty porn. According to a CNN article written by Nathalie Dortonne, “poverty porn is a tactic used by nonprofits and charity organizations to gain empathy and contributions from donors by showing exploitative imagery of people living in destitute conditions.” Although Western audiences have come to realize that poverty porn is a major issue due to the false representation of African people, those who experience poverty accept the need to exploit the poor in order to receive support.

While non-governmental organizations (NGOs) seek charity through the use of poverty porn, Northern American audiences recognize the issues with such means of media and the existing stereotypes of poverty in Africa. Journalists such as CNN’s Dortonne and ONE’s Emily Roenigk write about the damaging effects of poverty porn. Poverty porn, whether it is through pictures, videos, or writing, continues to fuel the idea that Africa is nothing more than a poverty-infested continent. While misrepresenting the African people and their cultures, such mediums of media exploit the poverty-stricken. (CNN) Known as “poverty pimps,” photographers employed by charities or NGOs disregard the emotional state of their subjects and fail to ask for consent. The controversial issues of the process in which photographers take in order to capture the poor are brought to light by Western perspectives while also arguing that the necessary alternative to poverty porn is through offering more opportunities to change one’s lifestyle instead of through charity. (ONE)

Although there are many concerns towards the way Africa is being represented by media to the rest of the world, many of destitute Africans have understood to accept poverty porn in exchange for any means of support. (Leah Chung) A poor man named John from the Kikaramjoa slums of Uganda said, “We are in a bad state so we would need their support. To me I don’t mind how we are presented as long as we are supported.” Poverty porn is endured by many of the poverty-stricken, especially the adults. It is understood that poverty porn is a business that is deemed necessary when food and supplies are given to the impoverished. Poverty porn works, and through series of tests, viewers are much more likely to donate when shown an advertisement of suffering children.

Africa is is the second most populated continent in the world where 1.1 billion people live throughout 54 different countries. Due to media and stereotypes passed down through every generation, Africa is known only for its high poverty rates and poor living conditions. Charities and NGOs that attempt to help the poor take the exploitative path of poverty porn in which is only tolerated because of the success it has in giving financial and material support to the poor.

Works Cited:

Dortonne, Nathalie "Poverty Porn Is Dangerous." CNN. Cable News Network. Web. 07 Mar. 2016.

Koutonin, Mawuna "Africa Top 10 Problems: Not the Ones You Were Thinking About!." SiliconAfrica. 09

Mar. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.

Matt "What Is 'poverty Porn' and Why Does It Matter for Development?" Aid Thoughts. 01 July 2009. Web. 08

Mar. 2016.

Nelson, Katie G., "Op-ed: Is NatGeo's New #EndPoverty Contest Just More Poverty Porn?" Humanosphere. 24

July 2015. Web. 08 Mar. 2016.

Pather, Raeesa "Poverty Porn and the Problem With CEOs Playing Homeless [opinion]." Africa News Service 6

May 2015. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 8 Mar. 2016.

Roengik, Emily "5 Reasons Poverty Porn Empowers the Wrong Person." ONE. 09 Apr. 2014. Web. 04 Mar.

2016.