MemeMachineGo!

Scary article about the lack of safety in the porn industry, and the industry's general treatment of actors as disposable, and authorities' disinterest.

The extent of infection among those performers is unknown because no government or regulatory medical agency has ever tracked the industry consistently. The limited data that does exist is alarming. The Adult Industry Medical HealthCare Foundation (AIM), an industry-backed clinic in Sherman Oaks, administered voluntary tests to a group consisting primarily of adult film workers. Of 483 people tested between October 2001 and March 2002, about 40% had at least one disease. Nearly 17% tested positive for chlamydia, 13% for gonorrhea and 10% for hepatitis B and C, according to Sharon Mitchell, a former adult actress who founded AIM.

[...] In the heterosexual adult film business, producers may not demand the use of condoms, but they do require actors and actresses to sign documents meant to excuse the filmmakers of liability. A typical contract from Vivid says the company is not responsible, and will pay no medical costs, for "sexually transmitted diseases... such as acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), herpes, hepatitis and other related diseases."

Ballowe and Goldberg signed similar waivers on the movie they shot together. "I represent that I am in good health, with no known sexually transmittable diseases. I understand that the benefits of the workmen's compensation laws do not apply," the waiver said.

Ballowe's lawsuit alleges that Goldberg lied when signing the document, and that the attempt to force her to waive worker's compensation rights was not lawful.

Legal experts called by The Times agree. Employees cannot be forced to sign away their legal rights to work in a safe environment--or to earn a minimum wage, overtime pay and enjoy the protection of workers' compensation insurance.

Almost makes me wish I were a porn consumer so I could boycott them, but as with auto-makers, the oil industry, and producers of meat, junk food, fast food, and, indeed, just about all mainstream food sellers, my boycott would be redundant. Sigh.