The current practice of periodic HIV and STD testing may detect some diseases early but often fails to prevent transmission. After four performers contracted HIV in 1998, Sharon Mitchell, a former adult film performer, founded Adult Industry Medical, a clinic to counsel and screen performers monthly for HIV. These practices lead to high transmission rates of STDs and occasionally HIV among performers. Performers report that they are required to work without condoms to maintain employment. In 2004, only two of the 200 adult film companies required the use of condoms.
When 60 Minutes first spoke to Lyon, he was running the free speech coalition, a trade organization that represents 900 companies in the porn business.Īdult film performers engage in prolonged and repeated sexual acts with multiple sexual partners over short periods of time, creating ideal conditions for transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). All the more concerning, high-risk sex acts are on the rise.Īt the same time, condom use is reportedly low in heterosexual adult films-approximately 17% for adult performers.
In my daily work of assisting women and men recovering from the pornography industry, as well as those struggling with pornography addiction and gathering research over a period of several years, I have learned significant facts to prove that indeed the California pornography industry is causing severe secondary negative effects on adult industry workers as well as the general public, which is involuntarily exposed to pornography, especially children, whose average age of first internet exposure to pornography is 11 years old. I have worked at Madera Rescue Mission, Bakersfield Rescue Mission, Central California Women’s Facility Prison, and Valley State Prison for Women and have traveled throughout the United States as a speaker and counselor on the negative effects of pornography at various churches, recovery programs, and secular organizations.
I have been working with adult industry workers since 2002, when I began volunteering as a teacher and counselor at local rescue missions and prisons in the State of California. I am confident of the above because not only was I a stripper, pornographic performer, and escort in the California pornography industry from 1986 to 1994, but I have also counseled with or spoken to over 300 female and male workers in the pornography industry as well as those struggling with pornography addiction. The California pornography industry is a destructive, drug-infested, abusive, and sexually diseased industry that causes severe negative secondary effects on female and male adult industry workers as well as the general public. Every major and minor adult DVD Company is in the local Chatsworth radius. All of the world’s top male talents live or travel to Chatsworth California for work. Female performers are flown or fly to Chatsworth to work in the adult industry. All of the top female talent agencies are located in or within the Chatsworth local radius. Her heart was to share the truth about porn and expose the darkness of it.Ĭhatsworth, California produces 85% of the world’s adult content.
Shelley, an ex-porn star, was the founder and president of The Pink Cross Foundation from 20082016.Through the Pink Cross, Shelley was a missionary to the sex industry, reaching out to adult industry workers offering emotional, financial, and transitional support for those who want out of porn. The following is a guest post by Shelley Lubben.