The porn world is wrestling with a tragic spate of suicides following the loss of an "exhibitionist" who became the industry's fifth victim in just seven months.
Olivia Lua, 24, left a chilling last message to her concerned Twitter followers earlier this year in which she told them "nothing scares me anymore".
The actress from Philadelphia launched her X-rated career in 2016 and was last year nominated for awards, but when her lifeless body was found in January, she became the fifth adult star to die in seven months.
Following her release from LA Direct Models three months earlier, Olivia tweeted on January 13: “Unlovable”. The agency claimed she had been showing up to work while high.
Within the following week, the actress who also went by Olivia Voltaire, was found dead of a suspected overdose of drugs and alcohol at a California rehab facility, The New York Post reported.
Only the day before on January 18, she had tweeted a picture of herself with the caption: “I feel it everywhere. Nothing scares me anymore" — lyrics to Lana Del Rey's song Summertime Sadness.
Her death comes after those of January Seraph, 31, Yuri Luv, 31, Shyla Stylez, 31, and August Ames, 23, in 2021.
Experts in the adult industry point to job insecurity as being a major factor in the disturbing losses of life.
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Competition for roles has soared with a boom in the number of porn actors and platforms as young women struggle to hold down steady work.
Insiders say that the fact that pay in porn has pretty much frozen over the years, actors are forced to over work or do kinkier scenes than previously expected for a decent wage.
Former President of the Adult Performer Advocacy Committee, Ela Darling said actresses are paid between £380 and £530 to romp another woman and up to £761 to have sex with a man.
The pay offered can almost trip for "anything extreme", Ela added. She explained that smaller profits, free streaming and a pocket of cheaper workers have kept salaries stuck in time.
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Behavioural scientist Gad Saad, a chair at the John Molson School of Business in Montreal, studies the porn industry and insists those who enter it are no more susceptible to mental issues than anyone else.
Gad told said: “When the camera is on, everybody is happy. The problem is that the work dries up. The phone stops ringing, and they say, ‘Now what?’ Porn stars aren’t the best at making a ‘what if’ plan for their future.”
Darling, 31, added: “Porn is a fine job. What’s tough is that it’s freelance. What’s tough is the down periods when you’re alone with yourself, thinking, ‘Will I ever work again?’”
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Performer Carmen Valentina told The NY Post that porn stars must 'tap into their inner strength' to get through times where work is no longer on their doorstep.
She said: “When you first get in, everybody loves you, but there are always new girls coming in, and it’s easy to feel discarded. You really have to have your head on straight to get through it.
“It’s a career where you have to rely on your looks. When you’re young and pretty, you think it’s going to last forever, but when it doesn’t, that’s when you have to tap your inner strength.”
For emotional support, you can call the Samaritans 24-hour helpline on 116 123, email [email protected], visit a Samaritans branch in person or go to the Samaritans website.
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