Porn stars rife with sexually transmitted diseases
The porn industry of California’s San Fernando Valley is under pressure to clean up its act, following the revelation last week that one unnamed female performer has tested positive for HIV. And according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, she is just the tip of the iceberg.
Since 2004, county health officials say that at least 22 performers have tested HIV positive. The true figure could be higher, as reports depend on people admitting their occupation to testing labs.
Over the same period, there were 2378 positive tests for chlamydia, 1357 for gonorrhoea and 15 for syphilis in Los Angeles County among people describing themselves as adult film performers.
via Sexual diseases ‘rampant’ in Californian porn industry – health – 16 June 2009 – New Scientist.
I’m sorry, but does this surprise anyone?
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Actually, YAH, kind of! I mean, I understand that those working in the pornography industry have a lot of sex. But I assumed that the professional, formalized setting would lend itself to greater vigilance about STD prevention…apparently not.
Not surprised but here’s my question. Are these diseases being spread through the industry by on the job activities or off the job activities? From my very limited knowledge (no smirks please) of the subject, most on screen performances practice safe sex.
It’s impossible to know for sure, but apparently there is a preference among viewers of this form of entertainment to watch so-called “bare-backed” (i.e. unprotected) sex.
In response to another comment. See in context »Yes that’s true, but I’m not sure that accounts for the majority of porn out there. In the end it really doesn’t matter how they got it, was just something I was curious about.
In response to another comment. See in context »