Shortly after adult film star and writer Stoya publicly accused James Deen of rape over the weekend, several women quickly came forward to express their support for Stoya and share their own alleged instances of sexual abuse. Though Deen swiftly denied the allegations via Instagram, a third accuser came forward on Monday with a harrowing account of an encounter that allegedly took place at Kink studios. Following this series of events, the major adult film company has announced plans to sever all ties with Deen.
In a statement released to BuzzFeed News, Kink confirmed the decision while also reasserting their dedication to the safety and well-being of their performers:
For the Kink.com community, as well as the larger BDSM community, consent and respect are sacrosanct. Effective immediately, Kink.com will cease all ties with James Deen, both as a performer and a producer.
Our performers deserve not only safe sets, but the ability to work without fear of assault. Rape or sexual assault, with or without a safe-word, off-set or on, should never be accepted as a hazard of adult production. While many of the allegations against Deen are new, the pattern is alarming. Over the coming weeks and months, we will review our Model Bill of Rights to strengthen rights of performers off-set, and work with the larger industry to help performers to have been assaulted to more easily come forward.
Deen has also resigned from his position as chairperson of the board of directors for the Adult Performer Advocacy Committee (APAC), a labor group that represents adult film stars. In a statement to Xbiz, the APAC board echoed Kink's efforts to assist performers in coming forward without fear of retaliation:
APAC recognizes the seriousness of the statements made by performers in the community and that they indicate a major conflict between a board member and other members of the organization. In the meantime, APAC will continue to provide support and guidance for adult performers. The APAC Board wants to state unequivocally that we stand with performers and other sex workers who are victims of any sort of sexual assault. APAC is committed to being a safe space for performers, and to creating a safer and healthier industry.
A spokesperson tells BuzzFeed News that, at this time, Deen has "no immediate comment" on the latest moves from Kink and APAC.