Accuser of porn actor James Deen calls for more scrutiny of abuse claims amid Weinstein accusations
'Why is James Deen still granted shade to abuse women!?' asks performer who says she was 'almost raped' by star
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Alleged victims have highlighted abuse accusations against leading male porn stars as a wave of sexual assault allegations engulfs the world of entertainment in the US.
James Deen was accused of rape, assault and sexual assault in 2015 by a former girlfriend and other adult performers. He denied the claims, saying they were “egregious”. “I respect women and I know and respect limits both professionally and privately,” he added in a later statement.
The allegations emerged after Mr Deen’s former partner, Stoya, said on Twitter in November 2015 that he had “held me down and f***** me while I said no, stop, used my safeword”.
Another accuser, Ashley Fires, who had said Mr Deen once “almost raped” her in a communal shower, brought up the claims again in light of the deluge of allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein.
She wrote on Twitter last week: “In the wake of recent actions taken against Weinstein, Ailes, O’riley, Jeremy. Why is James Deen still granted shade to abuse women!?”
Mr Deen, who is known for his work in rough sex videos, was dropped by a number of major distributors in the wake of the accusations.
He is not the only well-known porn actor to have been accused of serial abuse.
Ron Jeremy, one of the most famous names in the business, has been accused of a string of gropings and other attacks.
Earlier this year webcam performer Ginger Banks compiled a list of the claims against Mr Jeremy, which included a number of women saying he had sexually assaulted them at adult industry expos.
“These allegations come from women both inside the adult entertainment industry and out,” she said.
Mr Jeremy issued a strenuous denial to one particular claim in 2007 relating to a convention in Florida, according to a contemporary TMZ report.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments