Demi and Ashton Taking Flack for Their New Anti-Sex Slavery Videos

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5jazoLQrM&w=575&h=390%5D

Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore’s new anti-sex slavery video campaign has been getting a lot of attention this week. Kutcher and Moore are the founders of an organization called the Demi and Ashton Foundation, or “DNA” – an acronym that doesn’t quite make sense. DNA seeks to raise awareness of sex slavery and ways to fight against it.

“We want to create a cultural shift in the way men and women view young people selling themselves for sex,” Kutcher said to CNN. He didn’t explain how the videos could create such a shift.

As laudable as Moore and Kutcher’s efforts are, there has been a backlash. Critics are attacking the videos for making light of a rather serious issue.

“Once you choose an issue and don’t do it in collaboration with people who have been doing this for a long time, this is what you end up with,” Norma Ramos, Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women told FOX411.com. “There is a general dumbing down that is going on and this is an example of dumbing down a social justice movement with the narrowest message possible.”

I think “dumbing down” is spot-on, but I might also add that these videos just aren’t very good or clever on any level, as comedic shorts or awareness-raising messages. Watching it, I feel as if there’s a joke somewhere in there, but I just can’t find it.

I don’t really know much about Kutcher and his personal life, or what he’s like, but I get the sense that he’s not a delicate person. He offered the following advice to the public on how to help stop sex slavery: “First and foremost is do not participate, either you or your friends. If it’s your friend then you say ’I don’t want to hang out with someone participating in that because you’re hurting people.’”

Thanks, Ashton. I’ll keep that in mind.

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