“Was I Trafficked?” A Disconnect of Shared Meanings in the Adult Film Industry

Author: Wahl, David

Abstract: Sex trafficking is a prevalent and ever-increasing social problem. While public awareness efforts have intensified and proliferated, misperceptions around sex trafficking remain, largely reinforced by misinformation and myths associated with the issue. Continued research is necessary to dispel those myths and bring about trafficking awareness that serves to inform communities and safeguard potential victims. This study narrows the focus to a particular aspect of how misperceptions aid in the obtaining of victims of sex trafficking and strengthen the hold sex traffickers have on their victims. Specifically, this work explores the experiences of women in the adult film industry and how their perceptions of trafficking in the industry are sometimes incongruent with the definition of sex trafficking, legal tenets of sexual consent, and the reality of the situations and environments they inhabit; all of which benefit and empower the trafficker. Utilizing the narratives of women in various stages of the adult film industry, this qualitative study investigates the dynamics of how traffickers use fraud and manipulation as techniques to control their victims. The findings reveal that, while not everyone in the industry is trafficked, there are significant instances where sexual exploitation is present and perpetuated through enforced and calculated fraud and misinformation that is the trademark of sex trafficking. This research underscores the issues of sex trafficking that are evident in the adult film industry and calls for greater advocacy, awareness, and education to protect women from exploitation, ensuring that all participants in adult entertainment are working with free will and true consent.

Keywords: adult film industry, consent, pornography, sex trafficking, sexual victimization