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I am writing to express my concern with one of your programs: "Girls", created by and starring Lena Dunham. In her book, Not That Kind of Girl Dunham admits to coercing her underage sister and manipulating her emotions by offering candy to kiss her for extended periods of time. She also wrote about masturbating next to her sleeping (minor) sister until she (Lena) was 17 years old, describing her sister’s underage body as ‘sticky and muscular’, which undoubtedly creates an undertone of sexual attraction as her motivation for such activities. Lena Dunham describes her own actions as those of a “sexual predator”. It is disturbing that Home Box Office, Inc. / Time Warner, Inc., a multi-national network, would condone the actions of someone who self-identifies as a sexual predator of children (indeed, her sister was a child while the events described in the memoir took place).

Lena Dunham, a woman who has openly and arrogantly admitted to initiating and perpetrating Child-on-Child Sexual Abuse, is paid millions of dollars by Home Box Office, Inc. / Time Warner, Inc. to produce and star in “Girls”. Child-on-Child sexual abuse is a form of child sexual abuse in which a prepubescent child is sexually abused by one or more other children or adolescent youths, and in which no adult is directly involved. The term has been defined as sexual activity between children that occurs "without consent, without equality, or as a result of coercion" . Lena Dunham has undoubtedly described this in detail in her book and should not only apologize for the flagrant manner in which she writes about the vile actions committed against her child sister, but her contract should be terminated and “Girls” cancelled indefinitely.

Your corporation should not place someone who calls him or herself a “sexual predator” in a position of influence. Someone who exploits children in this way should not be deemed a worthy employee of Home Box Office, Inc. / Time Warner, Inc. Lena Dunham is exploiting children with her book: she exploits the child inside her sister, who is damaged in ways not fully comprehended, and she exploits all children everywhere who have been, or are being, abused by someone who dares to hold Lena Dunham as a role model (“If Lena Dunham does it, it can’t be that bad”). As long as she is permitted to enter the homes of millions of viewers via your network, the children of this world are not safe. She gains publicity through her program airing on your network, which draws more people to her book and dangerous message. Her words send the message that child predation and sexual abuse are acceptable and even laughable. This is the attitude she exudes in her book, in public interviews and on social media: arrogant disregard for the outrage felt by readers and survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Home Box Office, Inc. / Time Warner, Inc. have a responsibility to cease funding and supporting such an individual.

Any continued association between Lena Dunham and Home Box Office, Inc. / Time Warner, Inc. reflects an attitude which condones or otherwise considers sexual abuse of minors as acceptable. Thousands of citizens globally have lost confidence in your programming, and I have personally heard multiple accounts of others who will no longer support “Girls” and/or HBO due to the affiliation with Lena Dunham. There is a petition circulating globally via the Internet, addressed to HBO, with the signatures of over 1100 outraged citizens who believe your network should cancel “Girls” indefinitely and immediately terminate Dunham’s contract. HBO is not obligated to let anyone say what he or she wants without consequences. Dunham should not be above the law in any way, shape or form, and should certainly not be placed in a position of fame or power in the media. As long as you showcase anything associated with Lena Dunham, or any other self-proclaimed child molester, I will cancel my subscription to HBO. I work for the largest school board in Canada, and have shared this letter through multiple avenues, encouraging colleges and stakeholders to do the same. I hope you are interested in regaining this confidence and expect action from Home Box Office, Inc. / Time Warner, Inc.

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