The Dark Side of the Adult Industry: Stories of Abuse and Exploitation

The adult industry has always been controversial; some consider it an empowering and lucrative business. In contrast, others view it as a dark, exploitative world. Unfortunately, there is truth to the latter viewpoint, as the industry has a long history of abuse and exploitation of performers, particularly women.

One of the most significant issues within the adult industry is the prevalence of abuse and exploitation. Many performers have come forward with stories of coercion, manipulation, and outright abuse by producers, directors, and fellow performers. These stories often go unheard, as performers hesitate to come forward for fear of losing work or facing retaliation.

Stories from the Industry

One performer who spoke out about her experience is Jenna (pseudonym), who entered the industry when she was just 18 years old. She was promised big money and fame but quickly realized that the reality differed. She was forced to perform in scenes that made her uncomfortable, and when she expressed her discomfort, she was told that if she didn’t do what she was asked, she would be replaced. This kind of coercion is common in the industry; many performers feel trapped and powerless to resist.

Another issue within the industry is the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse. Many performers turn to substances to cope with the stress and trauma of their work. This can lead to addiction, health problems, and even death. One performer, Sarah (pseudonym), struggled with addiction in the industry. Fellow performers and producers offered her drugs, and she eventually became dependent on them to get through her scenes. She ultimately got sober, but her addiction’s toll on her health and career was significant.

The problem of abuse and exploitation in the adult industry is not limited to performers. In some cases, producers and directors have been accused of exploiting performers who are new to the industry and may not fully know their rights. One performer, Amanda (pseudonym), was promised a job by a producer who claimed to be affiliated with a well-known production company. When she arrived on set, she was told that the job had not materialized, but she was offered a smaller role in a scene. When she tried to negotiate her pay, she was told that she was lucky to be there and that she should be grateful for the opportunity. Amanda eventually left the set, but not before being insulted and threatened.

The stories of Jenna, Sarah, and Amanda are just a few examples of the darker side of the adult industry. These stories are not unique, and many performers have experienced similar situations. The industry has a long history of exploitation. Until a significant change, performers will continue to be at risk.

August Ames

So, what can be done to address these issues?

One solution is to provide better education and resources for performers. Many performers are new to the industry and may not fully understand their rights or the risks involved. By providing education and resources, performers can make more informed decisions and better protect themselves from abuse and exploitation.

Another solution is to create a culture of transparency and accountability within the industry. Producers and directors should be held accountable for their actions, and performers should be encouraged to speak out when they experience abuse or exploitation. The industry needs to prioritize the safety and well-being of performers over profits.

Finally, it is crucial to recognize that the problem of abuse and exploitation in the adult industry is not isolated. It is part of a larger cultural issue that perpetuates gender inequality and the objectification of women. Until we address these larger issues, the adult industry will remain where performers are at risk.

In conclusion, the adult industry has a long history of abuse and exploitation, particularly of female performers. The stories of Jenna, Sarah, and Amanda illustrate the devastating effects that this can have on performers. It is essential to provide better education and resources for performers, create a culture of transparency and accountability, and address the larger cultural issues contributing to the problem. Until significant changes are made, the adult industry will continue to be a dangerous and exploitative world for performers.

One step that the industry has taken in recent years is the #MeToo movement. This movement has brought attention to the prevalence of sexual harassment and abuse in many sectors, including the adult industry. Many performers have come forward with stories of abuse and exploitation, leading to a greater awareness of the problem.

Some within the industry have also taken steps to address these issues. The Free Speech Coalition, a trade association for the adult industry, has created the Adult Performer Advocacy Committee. This committee provides education and resources for performers, as well as a place to report abuse and exploitation.

However, much more must be done to address the problem of abuse and exploitation in the adult industry. This will require a concerted effort from performers, producers, directors, and the industry. By working together, we can create a safer, more transparent, and more equitable industry for all performers.

In conclusion

the adult industry has a long history of abuse and exploitation. Many performers have come forward with stories of coercion, manipulation, and outright abuse by producers, directors, and fellow performers. This problem is not limited to performers, as producers and directors have also been accused of taking advantage of new performers and may not fully understand their rights. The industry needs to provide better education and resources for performers, create a culture of transparency and accountability, and address the larger cultural issues that contribute to the problem. Until significant changes are made, the adult industry will continue to be a dangerous and exploitative world for performers.

Famous Dead Pornstars – Pornstars that left us between 2016 and 2020

Following the list of pornstars that passed away from 2011 to 2015, here go 20 notable and sad adult industry deaths from 2016 to the present moment. 

1. Alexis Grace (1988-2016)

Alexis was a porn actress from the US with a lot of experience in the industry, working non-stop from 2008 till her death in 2016. Her fiancée said she was found unresponsive one day and the cause of death seems to be a complication of asthma. 

Date of Birth: December 7, 1988
Date of Death: August 16, 2016
Years active in the industry: 2008-2016
Cause of Death: Asthma
Age: 27

 

2. Bella Blaze (1985-2016)

Also known as Amethyst for some porn studios, Bella lost her life to drugs after almost 7 years of a successful career of being a porn star. A mix of french and polish descent, her beauty was well accepted by her fans enjoying her hardcore scenes. She was 30 when she passed away at her home in Detroit from an accidental drug overdose. 

Date of Birth: December 13, 1985
Date of Death: March 10, 2016
Years active in the industry: 2009-2016
Cause of Death: drug overdose
Age: 30

 

3. Chyna (1969-2016)

Born as Joan Marie Laurer, she did not go to the adult industry from the begging, rising to her fame in the pro wrestling business in the first half of the 90s. She left WWF (which is now WWE) in 2001 but still worked as a wrestler. Of course, she was also known as a sex symbol, modeling non-nude for magazines. To the fan’s satisfaction, she started doing actual porn in 2011 but ended her career two years later. In April of 2016, she was found dead in her home with unknown cause of death. A later autopsy revealed Chyna died from a mixture of alcohol and diazepam, nordazepam, oxycodone, oxymorphone, temazepam. 

Date of Birth: December 27, 1969
Date of Death: April 20, 2016
Years active in the industry: 1995-2002 (wrestling), 2011-2013 (porn)
Cause of Death: alcohol and prescribed drugs overdose
Age: 46

 

4. Tera Wray (1982-2016)

A porn star not by need by vocation, Tera wanted to be an adult film actress since she was in the fourth grade and always said that to her friends. Tera beat cancer when she was 17, worked as a hooter girl, started shooting porn in 22, wed in Las Vegas in 2008, and lost her husband 6 years later. In 2016 she committed suicide in her apartment in California with a note instructing to call her mother and giving no clear reason why Tera ended her life. 

Date of Birth: April 14, 1982
Date of Death: January 13, 2016
Years active in the industry: 2007-2008
Cause of Death: suicide
Age: 33

 

5. August Ames (1994-2017)

A Canadian from Nova Scotia, August started her career in the adult industry in only 19 and took part in over 280 films. In 2017 she hung herself in the park in California. An autopsy ruled as suicide with marijuana, cocaine, and antidepressants found in her blood. Her friends say she suffered from bipolar disorder, rough childhood (August alleged she was sexually molested by her grandfather), and cyberbullying. All of these reasons combined could’ve led to the tragic outcome. 

Date of Birth: August 23, 1994
Date of Death: December 5, 2017
Years active in the industry: 2013-2017
Cause of Death: suicide by hanging
Age: 23

 

6. Becky Wunder (1984-2017)

Becky was a nude softcore model running a kitchen food blog and worked as a waitress. She starred in Playboy several times but did not shoot any actual porn films. Unknown events led her to death exactly on her 33rd birthday. Magical numbers with a magical girl.

Date of Birth: October 9, 1984
Date of Death: October 9, 2017
Cause of Death: unknown
Age: 33

 

7. Christine Dolce (1981-2017)

A MySpace queen with over a million subscribers turned into adult modeling after the social network collapsed. She was featured in Playboy, FHM, and other media giants. Christine was hospitalized in December of 2016 and sadly passed away on  February 6, 2017, from liver failure. She had long-time issues with alcohol. 

Date of Birth: August 31, 1981
Date of Death: February 6, 2017
Cause of Death: alcohol-related
Age: 35

 

8. Kristyna Martelli (1993-2017)

A webcam girl of a hot French and Italian ancestry from Canada. She had numerous plastic surgeries but the last one she took led to her death on the operating table. The details of the incident were undisclosed. 

Date of Birth: April 15, 1993
Date of Death: April 18, 2017
Cause of Death: plastic surgery went wrong
Age: 24

 

9. Roxy Nicole (1989-2017)

Porn model and adult film actress from sunny Los Angeles that died from an apparent drug overdose in 2017. 

Date of Birth: September 27, 1989
Date of Death: November 18, 2017
Cause of Death: drug overdose
Age: 28

 

10. Shyla Stylez (1982-2017)

A Canadian moved to LA for a better life, she did everything there is – webcam, stripping, porn, and adult modeling. In her almost 15 years of a career, she received several adult awards and even was noticed in a sex scandal involving the sheriff of Orange county. In 2017, Shyla was found dead in her bed by her mother and the cause of death is still unknown. 

Date of Birth: September 23, 1982
Date of Death: November 9, 2017
Years active in the industry: 2000–2005, 2006–2017
Cause of Death: unknown
Age: 35

 

11. Yurizan Beltran (1986-2017)

Yurizan was very successful at her job, starting as a glamour model, being a hooter girl, starring in a few non-adult movies, and of course, doing porn since 2003. She was an award-winning and well-known in the industry but passed away due to drug overdose in 2017. Her death started spoken concerns about adult performers’ mental health wide in the industry.

Date of Birth: November 2, 1986
Date of Death: December 13, 2017
Years active in the industry: 2003-2017
Cause of Death: drug overdose
Age: 31

 

12. Eva Kays (1998-2018)

The porn star from Russia who just started her career was beaten to death with a blunt instrument. The suspect, her boyfriend, a son of wealthy parents, fled to Ukraine but before extradition went through killed another girl in Kyiv. He is currently serving time in a Ukrainian prison and has to serve all his time before he could even get charged for the murder of Eva in Saint Petersburg. 

Date of Birth: January 1, 1998
Date of Death: September 4, 2018
Years active in the industry: 2018
Cause of Death: murder
Age: 20

 

13. Olivia Nova (1997-2018)

Very young and adorable American porn actress, Olivia suffered an awful death from a urinary tract infection that led to sepsis. Whether it is related to her work in the adult business is unknown. 

Date of Birth: April 28, 1997
Date of Death: January 7, 2018
Years active in the industry: 2017-2018
Cause of Death: sepsis
Age: 20

 

14. Ashley Massaro (1979-2019)

Another sad addition to the list from the wrestling community along with Chyna. A gorgeous wrestler from WWE, Ashley went to adult softcore modeling starting from the 2007 issue of Playboy. In 2019 she ended her life by hanging but the reason is unknown to the large public. 

Date of Birth: May 26, 1979
Date of Death: May 16, 2019
Cause of Death: suicide
Age: 39

 

15. Daisy Monroe (1990-2019)

Daisy was an adult model living in Las Vegas, Nevada. She sadly took her own life and close friends say the reason for that decision could be constant troubles in her relationship with her boyfriend. 

Date of Birth: December 10, 1990
Date of Death: September 3, 2019
Years active in the industry: 2015-2019
Cause of Death: suicide
Age: 28

 

16. Jessica Jaymes (1979-2019)

An Alaskan girl that had a nonstop porn film career from the year 2000 till her death in 2019. Jessica struggled with alcoholism and many mental and physical health problems which eventually led to her passing. The cause of death was not immediately known, but later autopsy revealed that Jessica died of natural causes. Her friends say most likely it was the seizures she constantly had in the last years of her life.

Date of Birth: March 8, 1979
Date of Death: September 17, 2019
Years active in the industry: 2000-2019
Cause of Death: seizures
Age: 40

 

17. Kymberlee Anne (1994-2019)

Kymberlee took part in around 50 porn films in the span of her 2 years career and at the time of her death was considered “the former porn star”. She was shot with a 9mm pistol in her chest in an alleged sex game involving a weapon. The boyfriend claims the gun suddenly discharged while he was rubbing Kymberlee with it. He was later charged with manslaughter but the sentencing is unknown.  

Date of Birth: November 21, 1994
Date of Death: May 25, 2019
Years active in the industry: 2015-2016
Cause of Death:
gunshot wound
Age:
24

 

18. Riley Evans (1986-2019)

Riley worked in the porn filming industry since 2006 and starred more than 130 titles. In late 2017 she was diagnosed with breast cancer, had implants removed but still lost this battle in March 2019. 

Date of Birth: June 3, 1986
Date of Death: March 27, 2019
Years active in the industry: 2005-2019
Cause of Death: breast cancer
Age: 32

 

19. Ashley Mattingly (1986-2020)

Ashley was a notable Playmate of the Month for March 2011 and rose to fame in nude modeling for other media. In April of 2020 fans were saddened to know that she passed away in an apparent suicide. It was later revealed that it was a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. In her last Instagram post, Ashley was blunt about her drinking problem: “I vomited a lot of blood – please slow down on the drinking!”. It is presumed her life long struggle with alcohol was the reason for suicide. 

Date of Birth: September 10, 1986
Date of Death: April 15, 2020
Cause of Death: suicide
Age: 33

 

20. Zoe Parker (1996-2020)

A former porn star with more than 100 films in her career just left the industry to spend more time with her family and start a new life in Texas. It is reported that Zoe died in her sleep and no cause of death was revealed yet. 

Date of Birth: March 27, 1996
Date of Death: September 12, 2020
Cause of Death: alcohol-related
Age: 24