Condom Use in Porn
There are no federal laws in the United States adequately protecting performers in the adult pornographic industry from sexually transmitted diseases. No federal law explicitly requires condom use in the production of pornography films. In fact, only 17% of adult performers use condoms in heterosexual films. Because of this, sexually transmitted diseases run rampant in the pornography industry. Tanya Burleson, formerly "Jersey Jaxin", caught chlamydia during her first year of working in the industry. Burleson states, “I don’t believe I worked with one person who didn’t at one time have an STD.” This is a significant claim, since Burleson starred in over 200 movies in her three-year career. Burleson goes farther and states “performers have to pay for their own testing, their medicine, and lose at least eight days of work every time they catch a sexually transmitted disease.” This is unjust - workers should not be required to work unprotected, yet be penalized by missing unpaid days of work if they catch an STD because they could not work with a condom. Performers report that they are even required to film scenes without condoms in order to maintain their employment. By forcing performers to work unprotected, they encounter a significant risk of catching an STD. Because of this unmitigated risk, pornography production companies should be required to pay for performers' testing, treatment, and missed days of work.
Even though there may be mandatory HIV and STD testing, these tests are not foolproof and are only valid as of the patient’s last sexual encounter. For example, in April 2004, three performers who had been compliant with the monthly screenings for STD and HIV contracted HIV. This happened because there was one performer who had tested negative for HIV and ended up contracting it three days after getting the negative result. As a result, the disease was spread to three female performers. Dr. Sharon Mitchell, sexologist and former pornographic film actor/director, predicts the STD prevalence in the industry as follows: “66% of porn performers have herpes, 12-28% have sexually transmitted diseases and 7% have HIV.”
It is evident that the lack of industry safety measures contribute to the high incidence of STDs in the adult entertainment industry. STDs can be fatal. An industry that systematically and knowingly subjects its employees to harm, and pressures them into not wearing condoms, is one that perpetrates violence. It is pivotal that change occurs in order to protect these employees. We must advocate for a safe working environment for sex workers. They deserve the right to protected sex while working. They should not have to miss work unpaid and pay for their own testing upon catching an STD. Condoms should be required in the adult entertainment industry. Advocate for a safe work environment for sex workers by supporting sex workers, nonprofits, and voting for public officials who support sex workers and their rights.
