A new study published in the Journal of Sex Research shows that female
porn stars are more spiritual and have a higher self-esteem than other
women with similar ages, ethnicities and backgrounds. There was no
difference in rates of child sexual abuse between the two groups.
Female Porn Stars More Spiritual Than Non-Porn Stars, Study Finds
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
A new study published in the Journal of Sex Research shows that female porn stars are more spiritual and have a higher self-esteem than other women with similar ages, ethnicities and backgrounds. There was no difference in rates of child sexual abuse between the two groups.
177 female porn stars participated in the study, Pornography Actresses: An Assessment of the Damaged Goods Hypothesis, which concludes that female porn stars don’t fit the “damaged goods hypothesis” that asserts that porn stars are often women who were sexually or otherwise abused as children and as adolescents.
“Porn actresses were more likely to identify as bisexual, first had sex at an earlier age, had more sexual partners, were more concerned about contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD), and enjoyed sex more than the matched sample, although there were no differences in incidence of CSA [child sexual abuse]. In terms of psychological characteristics, porn actresses had higher levels of self-esteem, positive feelings, social support, sexual satisfaction, and spirituality compared to the matched group. Last, female performers were more likely to have ever used 10 different types of drugs compared to the comparison group. A discriminant function analysis was able to correctly classify 83% of the participants concerning whether they were a porn actress or member of the matched sample. These findings did not provide support for the damaged goods hypothesis,” the study’s abstract says.
The porn stars ranged in age from 18-year-old to 50 and had an average porn career of 3.5 years.
More than one-third were married or in a serious relationship. 44% were single.
The study compared them to a sample group of women based on age, race and marital status.
The study was conducted by Researchers from Texas Woman’s University, Shippensburg University, and from the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation – which was founded by the former porn star Dr. Sharon Mitchell, who had left porn in 1996 and got degrees in public health counseling and sexology.
The Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation became the industry standard mandated testing after a 60 Minutes report on AIDS in the porn industry aired more than a decade ago. That 60 Minutes report was based on the reporting of Luke Ford, who broke the story of the AIDS outbreak in the industry.
Ford, a convert of Orthodox Judaism, now runs a Jewish blog.
The system, set up in part by the Foundation and by porn producers, requires porn actors working in the US to be tested for AIDS and other STDs every 30 days.
On-camera sexual contact is documented and logged.
A positive test result triggers re-testing of all of the actor’s on-screen sexual partners from the previous 3 to 6 months. (Off-camera partners can be tested at the discretion of the actor.)
Unlike previous testing systems that were less obligatory and easy to cheat, the Foundation’s system has secure data sharing that appears to prevents forgery.
[Hat Tip: Yoel.]