Protection issue

[chatterji]

I watch porn like everyone here, but I bet I'm not the only one that wonders about the safety of the performers. HIV certification is one thing, although how accurate and reliable this actually is opens up another whole can o' worms, but what about the other myriad nasties that can be transmitted? In the US safe-sex movies are slowly gaining ground, probably in an attempt to make them more palatable to the current political administration...although it's really odd that over there some movies feature safe-sex vaginal/anal but then the girls give bare-back blowjobs as if they couldn't catch anything this way! I know watching condomed-up performers isn't as enjoyable but shouldn't safe-sex movies become the norm if producers REALLY were concerned about the welfare of the people who make them their money? Perhaps if we as punters didn't demand that actors put themselves in harm's way simply so that we can have a better class of hand shandy, market forces might change? So is it time that the legions of wankers, (I am a centurion in their massed ranks), developed more of a conscience and accepted that anything goes so long as it's undercover? What do you reckon? At the end of the day all those who take part in porn do so at their own risk, which as adults is fair enough. But should it be like this and does it need to be? Any thoughts on the above guys 'n' gals, especially those of you who perform?

[Scott Jism]

I think you're p*****g in the proverbial wind if you think punters will be encouraged or co-erced into accepting/liking condom fests. As with everything sexually related the freedom of choice rests upon the individual, be they the actor/actress or the viewer and market forces will dictate. You're seeing a cause and effect scenario in the US with some companies going the safe sex route and others going to the other extremes, as long as there is the available choice, who cares?

I've seen this topic on here before and it would seem the majority of forumistas (myself included) prefer to see them bathing "sans" wellies. After all this is Hardcore pornography we're talking about here not "The lover's guide".

[AC]

You can catch hiv through oral sex but it is very unlikely, especially with the added protection of an up to date test and if the girl doesn't swallow. Even if she does swallow it is still a very low risk, you would be much more likely to contract hiv it you got some in your eye.

[chatterji]

Yes AC, but I wasn't thinking so much about HIV being transmitted via blowjobs, but a number of other 'standard' STDs that are so easy for women to pick up from oral sex.

[AC]

True but they are treatable and easier to catch in testing, another thing that must be a problem in the industry are vaginal and oral yeast infections from all the anal/oral/vaginal swapping about.

[ED]

very true, but at the end of the day, everybody makes up their own mind. nobody makes performers do what they do. the onus is on them. s.t.d's etc are the pitfalls of the job. you run the gauntlet in this industry, if you as a performer are not happy with it, stop doing it. yes there is the condom issue, but again to the legion of wrist crackers out there its less appealing.the industry overall is safe, with the exception of isolated cases, which performers who are truly professional will deal with a.s.a.p.

[richie rich]

In the U.S I believe they test DNA to get a more accurate test, why is it not in operation in this country? Is it a question of cost, technology or just simply the number of people requiring the test over here being much less?

We have had this question asked before and I believe that it is the majority of porn fans, as has been said in the above posts that don't want to see condoms in porn. With the testing as it is, are there many instances of std'd in the British porn scene, or is the method of testing "good enough".

On the question of certificates, is it something that happens at the start of a shoot in the form of "passing them round" or is it assumed that everyone present on a shoot has already submitted their certificate?

[RockCharogne]

Whilst HIV always has the highest profile, I wonder what else is tested for ? I remember the previous thread on this site re the newspaper article on Martin Amis reporting from LA(http://www.guardian.co.uk/Archive/Artic ... 18,00.html)where Chloe states that everyone in the industry has herpes. If that's true it's really quite alarming. Perhaps one of the girls could enlighten in what the tests really encompass ?

[jj]

Just two.
I'm in a safety-critical profession, and am regularly exposed to Assessed Risks that are (statistically) far greater than those posed to porn performers.
For which I get an additional allowance of......exactly nothing.
Porn deaths this year, AFAICT, to date: 0.
Deaths amongst my profession this year, to date: 7.
I dislike condomed-porn intensely. As do, apparently, the majority of punters (see precious threads).

[jj]

....and the STD point is why all the performers are, naturally, so red-hot on 'verifiable' cleanliness.
A matter of self-preservation, possibly the best incentive for a behaviour to be found in any culture.