![]() | |
Industry | Pornography |
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Founded | 2009 |
Founder | Michael Pratt |
Defunct | 2020 |
Headquarters | , |
Key people |
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Owner |
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GirlsDoPorn was an American pornographic website active from 2009 until 2020.[1] In October and November 2019, six people involved with the website were charged on counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion.[2][3][4][5] In December 2019, two more individuals were charged with obstruction of sex trafficking enforcement.[6] The website was removed in January 2020 after 22 victims won the civil case against the company.[1] According to the United States Department of Justice, the website and its sister website GirlsDoToys generated over $17 million in revenue.[2][7] Videos were featured on GirlsDoPorn.com as well as pornography aggregate websites such as Pornhub, where the channel reached the top 20 most viewed, with approximately 680 million views.[8][5]
Pornography produced by the company, which was based in San Diego, California, was in the style of a 'casting couch', featuring women who were not professional pornographic actors.[8] Lawsuits and other testimony describe practices by GirlsDoPorn in detail. Women who responded to fake modeling advertisements on Craigslist were put into contact with 'reference girls' who pretended to have had positive experiences with the company.[9][10] Participants could be promised between $2,000 and $6,000 for 30 minutes of sex on camera. However, filming could last up to nine hours and, according to an ex-employee, 50% of women were not paid the amount they agreed on.[9][10][11] Verbal promises were given that the videos would never be released on the Internet or in the United States, only to independent video stores in Australia, New Zealand or South America, or to private buyers.[9][10] When participants reached San Diego, they were made to sign contracts that did not mention the name "GirlsDoPorn".[12][3] The filming process was violent: the Department of Justice said that "some were sexually assaulted and in at least one case raped".[7] Release of participants' personal information and online harassment accompanied the videos.[2][9][13] Subjects of the videos have reported adverse effects including suicidal ideation, physical harassment, and the loss of jobs and accommodation.[14][15][16][11]
A lawsuit filed in 2016 alleged "intentional misrepresentation, fraudulent concealment, unlawful and fraudulent business practices, and the intentional infliction of emotional distress" on the parts of New Zealand nationals Michael Pratt (co-owner) and Matthew Wolfe (co-owner and cameraman), as well as Andre Garcia (pornographic actor).[7] In January 2020, the plaintiffs received damages of $12.775 million, as well as ownership to videos they featured in.[17][15][18] However, they had yet to receive any money by February 2022.[19][20] In December 2023, Aylo (owners of Pornhub) agreed to pay a $1.8 million government fine plus compensation to victims.[21] Garcia and Wolfe were sentenced to 20 and 14 years in custody, respectively; others involved in GirlsDoPorn have also been convicted.[22][23]
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