A post about a woman who’d been brutally assaulted as part of a production at kink.com in San Francisco appeared on Luke Ford’s blog www.lukeisback.com on January 10, 2008. There were 18 responses, including my own. After 5 days, the thread was removed from his site. I have reason to believe that this account is substantially true. What is really going on at kink.com? What can we do about it?
Melissa Farley
January 10, 2008, 4:59 PM
Kink.com Runs Another Girl From The Business
(from lukeisback.com)
Director Ricky D. writes:
I usually don’t post this kind of stuff, but I really don’t like to see talent get taken advantage of.
A close friend of mine worked for Kink for her third time recently, and had the most traumatizing experience of her life. (No, she didn’t do the Training of O everyone is always talking about) Her injuries after the shoot include numerous lumps in both breasts (from being slapped, whipped with a bamboo cane), bruises and rope burns from head to toe, bleeding from both her vagina and butt, and soreness everywhere from being constantly shocked when she made it known she didn’t want to do it. On top of that, it was shot in a room with running water flowing through the room that was so cold that during the shoot you can see the talent’s breath. On top of that, she can’t sleep because of the pain and flashbacks from the scene in her dreams. She officially quit the business right after the shoot. I’m sure she’s not the only one they’ve driven to leave. It seems as though once they get you in that building, they torment you as much as they can get away with until the talent won’t work for them, or at all, anymore.
People in this industry know the hush money they pay talent to shut the fuck up. I know quite a few girls that they’ve taken advantage of and felt the need to give them extra money after the fact. I’ve talked to producers, directors, and talent – the only people saying positive stuff about them are the ones making money off them.
I know what people will say, this girl is looking for attention: if she was looking for attention she’d post here herself. And no she’s not a drug addict; she had some medical issues as a child that would kill her if she takes almost any recreational drug.
This is just a warning to any girls looking to work for them and people looking to push traffic to them. I just hope you’re okay with promoting sites like there’s with people like that.
I wonder if the Health Department ever visits kink.com, or OSHA. The working conditions there certainly warrant regular surprise inspections since there is a possibility of the machinery or electrical shocking units going bad causing serious injury.
Also I wonder if this woman could be convinced to bring some kind of charges (breach of contract) against kink.com for going farther than she had agreed.
What’s the law on consent to bodily harm in your state? In England, the well-known case Crown v Brown (which concerned a group of male homosexual sado-masochists) decided that it is impossible to consent to anything more than a battery (i.e. touching). Actual bodily harm – which would definitely include what you describe happening at kink.com – is illegal, even if the recipient / victim actually consents.
Obviously this ruling causes problems, such as whether a lot of what goes on in contact sports is illegal. But – if the law is similar in your country could your friend not press criminal charges?
I’ve been to the main space where kink.com is set. I’ve met many of the models, the riggers, and know the man who runs the various sites.
I’m sorry, Mel, but I don’t think you’re telling the whole story.
Most of the people I know who work at kink.com consider it the best job they’ve had. Kink.com spends a lot of extra time establishing consent and even utilizes the use of safewords. There are pre-shoot interviews that go on as well.
I’d like to draw attention to kink.com/shootingrules.
Some parts of the guidelines of note:
“Tears from pain: this is not allowed under any circumstances. However, if this happens during a live show, the scene has to stop and the model must be comforted ON CAMERA and the tears are wiped away. Then the scene can continue at a slower pace if the model agrees, and has stopped crying.”
“Shoots involving BDSM (hogtied.com, waterbondage.com, wiredpussy.com, meninpain.com, sexandsubmission.com and whippedass.com) must include both a pre-shoot interview and a post-shoot interview. The pre-shoot interview is to establish consent. It shows that the model is here by his/her own free will, that the model is not under the influence of any intoxicating substances and that the model understands fully what will occur during the shoot. It’s OK to have models bound superficially for the pre-shoot interview (not severely bound, but it’s fine to have them in handcuffs or secured in some way). The post shoot interview must be at least 2 and half minutes long, and the model(s) must have sufficiently recovered from the shoot to express themselves coherently about their experiences. The model(s) should do most of the talking, and the questions should be open-ended and not suggestive. (I.e. the questions should be of the form “what did you like or dislike about this shoot?” rather than “You liked that, didn’t you?”) The responses to these questions must be coherent and deliberate.”
“The model must be aware of his/her safeword as described above. The model should be periodically reminded of his/her power to use the safeword during scene downtime, especially when a scene is intense. I.e. the top should step out of character, comfort the model, and ask if the model is OK and remind him/her that it is OK to use his/her safeword. The safeword should not be used as part of the scene to taunt or dare a model. Any person on set has the power to request brief downtime to check in on a model if they feel it is necessary. Kink wants to avoid the possibility that some models feel pressure not to safeword when on camera.”
“Electricity should not be used above the waist except as follows: Nipple clamps where the nipple completes the circuit (i.e. Electricity passes through the nipple only, not breast to breast). Sticking muscle stimulators on the lower stomach area. Mains powered electrical appliances (such as the Hitachi magic wand) should not be used in any scene that involves water (note that the output of the TENS units used in Wiredpussy.com is low-voltage).”
Just as a few examples.
The people who do the rigging really know what they’re doing. Chanta Rose, for example, is a well-known rope bondage expert and knows far more than I do on the human body and pressure points. This isn’t a site where any old person can walk in and get a job tying women up and hurting them.
It’s also not a site where any old model can come in thinking they’ll make some money and not knowing what they’re in for. The process to double check consent (I think they eve use checklists, rating things from 1-5 and allowing the models to state their limits) is extensive.
If a model DID have an abusive experience, I think she should go to to police. I think that the people I know from kink.com would expect that. They’re pretty involved in the kinky community and would encourage someone in another situation to seek out help, so I doubt they’d treat their models any differently.
I’m hoping this will even get posted- I’m guessing it might not. It will be on my personal blog, however, for posterity if nothing else.
Cheers.
Luke is back changed hands. Some stories were also pulled out by the new owner.
For example the rapes of glam porn actress Stephanie Morgan by her boyfriend and co-owner of Vivid (yes he was her boss also). She also quit porn shortly after that. Luke Ford also reported that the LAPD questioned the subject. All that was pulled out.
This is horrifically disgusting and most likely not the only website like this. I wish there was a way in which all forms of exploitation and abuse against females of all ages could be banned. Your book on trauma in relation to pornography and prostitution is very true, Melissa. Keep up the good feminist work.
Hi…
Just came to your website…Great Job, keep up the good work!
Contrary to what you believe, BDSM and bondage are about trust and respect. Kink.com practices BDSM in the safest way, and treats models better than any other porn company. The story above is completely untrue.
“They suffer least, who suffer what they choose..!”
Men who choose to abuse and exploit women and children (because they have the privilege of that choice) do indeed suffer the least.
Im the girl this happened to I would like to point out that my safe word was “mm mm” and NO they didn’t stop the shoot to comfort my tears from pain.that site shoots to many different types of bondage that puts the girl in restraint that you dont want to stop you just want to get it over and done with so you have blood moving to your arms or are out of the horrible metal mechanism that is digging in to some part of your body. I went through the airport after that scene taking a body pat instead of taking off my sweatshirt i was so embarassed by the rope and bruising on my arms and chest.. What wasnt mentioned in the story posted above was the horrible pain I went through when the 4 clothes pins were taken off my outer labia lips, did i mention these clothes pin were taped to my inner thighs for a good 15-20 mins??? … I didnt sign up for that nor did I say I was ok with that.. same with having the electrical shock on my spine… I went to that shoot thinking I was working for whippedass.com, an anal worship site, not put you through living hostel…
-its not hard to find the scene..
You must be joking if you think that is really the girl it happened to. That English is atrocious and if you knew ANYTHING about bondage you would realize “mm mm” is the most redundant safeword ever. Considering when you are gagged what is the sound you make when you attempt to talk? Mm mm. Thought so. Also, mentioning the clothespins on the labia… not to be rude but there are many episodes in which this action occurs so you could be one of about 100 girls. Nice try. Last but not least, if somehow after the minimum three required interviews you still did not realize you were going to be tied and in some sort of pain for at least a little bit, then I wonder exactly how drunk or how much drugs you must have been on to miss that conversation and paper signing.
To finish off I will let it be known I do not prefer kink over the supposed abused girl at all. Just the fact that it is quite clear that the above post was completely faked by someone else and slandering a site which doesn’t push anyone further than they wish to.
Good day.
Barry you are ignorant and downright obnoxious. As if a porn star needs to have perfect grammar to be awarded a shoot on Kink.com or another porn site for that reason. Give me a break! Thanks for pointing out through that hundreds of girls have had their genitalia tortured at kink. As the model CLEARLY stated, she did NOT agree to the electro shock, being bruised, and having rope burns–DUH! You act as though during those three interviews (which I’m sure you’re NOT privy to) the producers are going to tell the model the TRUTH about the things that are going to happen to her. If they DID they wouldn’t have any models!!! Those interviews are SOLELY for the purposes of gaining trust with the model only to betray her. That’s how they make money moron!! You think they give a shit about ethics and honesty? Look at the type of trash they are and the type of trash they cater to. None of you give two shirts about a woman which is why you get off to this shit. It’s pathetic. You are incredibly naive and just plain ignorant. Perhaps you were too fucked up on drugs when you wrote this to notice all the fallacy you included. You have NO IDEA what you’re talking about! The ONLY experience you have is beating off to this type of garbage so who are you to even voice your opinion as to the authenticity of that post? You are a moron.
Which lying rapist from Kink are you, Barry Scott Bottom Feeder or maybe haggard old Princess Pain in the Ass Donna? DIE. Revenge has its place in this world and all those who worked topping at Kink need to perish screaming.
Hello.
For a lot of us women,it is not degredation
or abuse,it is what we desire,what inspires us, and what we want to see.
Anyone who became part of a well known
sight(where the women do know and even get what the attention they want)
Knowing the rules would NEVER be aloud to use the Most important Safe Word Off MMMMM,Not aceptable between any slave and dom.
Sorry,your session was to much and you had such a bad experience.
Ladies,Sub Women Are not being taken allways being taken
advantage of,and are not Always victimized.,pleas e message me back if you want to speak,
not attack,
z
If it was an inappropriate safe word to use they should have never gave it to her! And let me tell you sweetheart, women DON’T like to be tortured and degraded for purposes of having some loser cum. If a model wants to engage in PERCEIVED abuse, then fine. But actual abuse is illegal and immoral. Especially when the company is lying to the models about what site they’re even shooting for. If you believe that women in the porn industry–especially those who work for these sick sites AREN’T taken advantage of, you’re just plain stupid, sorry.
Okay first of all that person claiming to be the girl’s name is im the girl this happened to. She might just go around pretending to be the subject to get attention. I run into people like that all the time. Second of all, the people posting negative comments obviously do not do any checking on the invented “facts” they place into their opinions. Kink.com has a very large fan base, one of the largest kink fan bases on the planet. Because of this coupled with the nature of their videos, they are checked regularly for indescrepancies. Another thing you might not know about is that the slave master relationship is only called this for erotic reasons. In BDSM of any kind the person who seems to be helpless is actually in control and the person seeming to be in control is actually helpless which is the same response you would recieve from any person ever to have tried anything as much as tying wrists together during sex once. From the very first experience you realize that the one tying you up has no control over the situation. The submissive has absolute control and has the final say in everything no matter what the dominant wants.what turns you on is the fantasy. When it becomes real, it turns us off just as much as anyone else. There are times when people get raped and beaten because it went too far but even before i pointed out them being checked up on why didn’t you think about the fact that anything online even hidden and one time things get found out extremely quickly and all held responsible are hunted down like they killed the president? Oh, that’s right. everyone hates cops and won’t become friends with them. The only things you hear about are the failed cases, which are extremely rare. They don’t just sit around carving statues all day. The government does it’s job, you just don’t always realize the reasons behind it’s decisions.
@Im the girl this happened to.
For one, I doubt you are the girl, if there even is one.
Your story does not add up. Whippedass.com is female on female domination, not an anal worship site. You would have known this if you were actually working at kink.com.
Peter Acworth runs a completely legitimate business and I know people who have shot with this company and they all report a completely contrary experience. Also, they started adding in interviews after the shoots several years ago so people could see how well taken care of all models are at kink.com.
This is just more Dwokinite crap meant to drum up fear over sexual practices you refuse to understand.
Why have no charges been filed? This is freaking BS and you should be ashamed of yourselves. To disagree with alternative sexual practices is one thing, but to drum up false accusations to try and shut down the alternative sexual practices of others is low.
Talent? these women are sucking dick and fuking?what talent are you talking about? HA! I say good for’em if they get there ass whipped, or whatever,, at least they earned it this time!!
I too, call BS. Many of the individuals with whom I have worked or have associated that have worked with kink.com say that they are nothing less than the pinnacle of professionalism in their practices. It is entirely possible that a scene went a little further than that with which someone was comfortable, but at that point it becomes a question of why the individual did not exercise her pre-established right to opt out of the scene with a safeword. Someone did not like what they had gotten themselves into and tried to make some money off of it. Kink.com is very specific and forthright with its legal matters, and I don’t think an organization that is so careful about covering its legal bases would willingly toss everything out the window and invite lawsuits, especially in what is iffy legal territory to begin with.
My first reaction is, I certainly hope this is not true. Having just found kink recently, I’ve enjoyed their stuff. But I’d be thoroughly sickened if I found out anything I watched actually hurt someone to the point she felt tortured and forced to do things beyond her consent.
My second reaction, while I don’t think the post of someone claiming to be the girl is actually from the girl, I don’t think it is appropriate to attack her the way some people on here have done. Giving her the benefit of the doubt, just in case it is her, I hope she’s ok. But yes, as some people have noticed ‘mmm’ is not a safe word, picking her out from the other clips would not be ‘easy’ like she suggests, and she seems genuinely unfamiliar with kink’s content anyway. I guess it could happen that someone would go in without having researched a pornographer they were going to work for. But especially if you’re doing bdsm fare, I would expect most girls to have seen enough of kink’s content to make a sound judgment before contacting them in the first place.
That being said, I’d like to address some of the larger issues it raises. First off, even assuming regular porn is ok (just for the purposes of argument, taking it as a given that it is), is there something wrong with bdsm porn specifically? There’s some stuff out there which has me really concerned. Primarily, it is the bdsm cartoons. Ok, so there’s no actual victim if it is a cartoon. But I’m basically talking snuff material here, and it is very, very disturbing. I’m not sure I’m prepared to say viewing such material would desensitize someone to it to the point of pushing them over the edge so they go out and rape, torture, and kill someone. I’m more concerned that people who are already pre-disposed to do that in the first place, people who would do or at least want to do so even if soft core porn didn’t exist, are so sick that they will take it as a sign their own urges are ok. I’m disturbed an audience for this type of extreme material even exists. And I’m angry to see someone has the poor taste and judgment to even make the product in the first place. This kind of extreme stuff only serves to harm the bdsm community at large anyway, and more pornographers should come out against it.
Second, I guess this leads naturally into the question of where to draw the line? It is difficult, and I leave it up to someone far wiser and more experienced than me to draw that line. (No, that doesn’t mean I want government or Big Brother to decide it all for me. I’m talking more about experienced bdsm’ers and those who really know about the human anatomy). Yes, I think kink’s guidelines of pre and post interviews and all their safety precautions are great, if they are followed. And that is the real problem here–people don’t always trust or believe that kink is up front and honest, or that it even follows it’s own policies. If they don’t, then yes, there’s a problem. But how easy would it be for someone to try to take them down just by putting the accusation out there? Think about it. A Christian Conservative group or the like starts a rumour with the intention of taking them down. Who are most people going to believe? Yes, hard core conservatives will break one way as will hard core pornographers, but it is the people in the middle who are up for grabs. Perhaps those who like porn, but feel guilty about it. Perhaps those who have a genuine concern for women’s safety (as I do). Who knows? All I’m saying is it is far too easy to destroy a person’s reputation in this country just by crying wolf. People are far, far too gullible. Think about it. What happens to a teacher if a student says he or she was molested by the teacher? Does it really matter if it happened? Not really. That teacher will never work again, certainly not in the educational field. (And I know personally of a sad case that happened in similar circumstances where two couples were fighting over adopting the same kids). So no, this isn’t strictly an academic exercise on my part.
In the end, I’m just far more suspicious of people trying to shut pornographers down than I am of the pornographers themselves. Too often, it comes across as nothing more than uptight, moralistic bullcrap where a group of people want to control what another group of people can do with their own lives and bodies. In other words, an attitude of “I’m so shocked because I wasn’t brought up that way. Sex is dirty and nasty, for procreation only” rather than an attitude of “You know, it is ok for people to express themselves sexually, but I’m really worried about the safety of those poor girls.”
And yes, while I am not so naive (sp?) as to believe nothing bad ever happens to women in porn land, I have to point out that bad things happen all the time, even outside of the influence of porn. I think someone on here mentioned a star getting raped by her husband and boss, which prompted her to leave the industry. I’m terriby, terribly sorry to hear of her experience. And I can’t imagine the additional trauma of knowing your own spouse was involved. Still, even if she were outside the porn world, who is to say she wouldn’t have married a guy with the same attitude and proclivities? In other words, they might have hung out with the same crowd and engaged in similar activities, even if they did so off camera and without getting paid. It is a very sad and terrifying fact that women are subjected to rape, but that has been the case for ages past, long before video even existed. Rather than blaming porn, people should work on their own attitudes regarding how to treat others, and that includes letting other people behave as they please. Just like with tv, if you don’t like porn, or just bdsm specifically, don’t watch it! Simple. As long as it doesn’t involve the death of someone in the sexually submissive role (and yes, I’m including and even specifically targeting comics here), as long as it is consensual (especially with video shoots and when partners play in real life), then it should be ok.
From: my understanding of the law. Criminal law and contract law are separate. While on a contract you may agree to whatever, however it does not preclude the criminal side of the law. If the DA had any balls at all he would walk in and arrest the entire staff and start prosecution for assault, and any charges that can be brought for assisting in it. Even complacency or pandering to it.
that’s not true. you can not contract with someone to commit a criminal act against them. that’s an illegal contract and would never hold up in a court of law. google it
I think he is saying the same thing you are… that they can commit criminal acts despite the contract.
What i just don’t understand is- WHY THE HELL DID THE GIRL WENT THERE TO GET TORTURED?’ There is no damn comfort in receiving pain from others. No, not in any way.
You have to understand why places like KINK.COM exists.
It’s for men who want to torture girls. They need a way to do it. So they opened up a website and bought that big building in San Francisco-‘ARMORY GREAT HOUSE’, making it as a work of great pride for those foolish girls.
No the girl can’t go to police. Because she knew what would happen to her. To say straight-SHE WOULD BE TORTURED. Now the police don’t know the extent of torture. So kink will say they do it with every girl. If she had that much problem, why she came here.
Get your mind off that thing. BDSM is just a form of torture. It’s easy to make women come into BDSM saying-‘ Lets do BDSM’, rather than saying ‘Lets torture you.’
Man, i just wonder the legacy of that pervert Marquis De Sado, for what he left in the world.
On the other hand, if you play it safe, BDSM can be funny. But that’s certainly not true with KINK.COM . Nearly every girl get tortured there. They just can’t stand up, may be for shame or for the fear of their future.
KINK.COM should be banned. But no, who will listen. It will go on forever. Foolish girls will go there, and no. of posts like this will increase.
Heh……..
Hello, I accidentially saw some videos from this site (when I was looking regular porn) and I was really disgusted. Isn´t it enought that these guys get to fuck girls when we ordinary guys has to watch it? Now they have to torture these women unnatural and disgusting way that makes those womens unable to have ordinary sex anymore.
I dont care if those mens (or brainwashed womens) claim that its not hurting anybody. It´s my opinion thats it is horrible wrong!
I think we are living the end times, according to bible in the last days womens will change natural sex into unnatura and men will become wicked.
God bless all who wants to go Heaven.
So you know the female actors receive another for $400 they are willing to do the post interview. Do not believe it when they say they liked it.
Emily. -regardless, I wonder if a woman with a ball gag, can even say a ‘safe word’, so the claim is bogus. Not you Emily, but those who are bound and helpless.
I’ve seen a few who do care and I do believe that they care. But I see things that piss me off. If you need some muscle, I am here. I do not believe Gov’t should censor or close down this industry. Hell, half of Congress lead a double-life.