James Deen: Three More Women Speak Out About The Adult Film Star

Three more women who were associated with adult film star James Deen are speaking out since the sexual assault allegations that took off earlier this week.

James Deen was hailed as the “boy next door” and “feminist hero” of the adult film industry. That all changed when his former costar and girlfriend Stoya revealed on Twitter that he sexually assaulted her during their relationship. Her comments gave other sex workers the courage to speak up when it comes to sexual assault in the adult film industry. Then Tori Lux, Ashley Fires, and other performers came out and claimed that Deen also assaulted them on and off the set. Deen has since denied the allegations on social media, saying there have been “false” and “defamatory” allegations made against him, but the accusations just keep coming out.

Bustle contributor Mandie Williams is speaking out about James Deen’s sexual allegations. Like many others, she was a feminist who was a huge fan of Deen’s work. She even wrote an essay about him titled “This Angry Feminist’s Open Letter to James Deen,” back in 2014. But now that she’s heard about the allegations, she feels duped. Instead, she’s standing by Stoya, Tori Lux, and the many other women who have spoken out against Deen.

“James Deen’s persona made me feel like he was meant for the female gaze – his everyman-sized body, his humble sense of humor, his unabashed delight in interviews that he gets to see so many beautiful women naked as a job all made him seem appealing to many women who could find little to like when it came to male porn stars.”

James has openly said in a 2014 interview with the Observer that he is “absolutely not” a feminist, despite what his young fans think.

James Deen’s current girlfriend, Chanel Preston, head of the Adult Performer’s Advocacy Committee (APAC), is also speaking out about the adult film star. The APAC’s mission is “to provide representation for performers in the adult film industry and to protect performers’ rights to a safer and more professional environment.” Ironically, Deen was even one of the organization’s co-founders, and until his resignation last Monday, he has served as the chairman.

In light of Deen’s resignation, Preston has released a statement with the reason that it should be published in its entirety.

“James and I are involved. It was never a secret but we don’t talk much about it publicly. Obviously, this situation has presented me with complicated feelings, and I’m navigating them as best I can. The porn community is small and many performers have had some sort of relationship with Stoya and/or James, and are experiencing this situation in a personal way. James is no longer involved in APAC decision-making, direction, or duties. APAC has issued a statement of solidarity with all sex workers who have been violated or assaulted, and the revised board’s members, which consists of Conner Habib, Ela Darling, Veruca James, and I, will continue our commitment to serve our community and provide a safe and supportive environment for performers.”

Adult film star Nicki Blue is also the latest woman to speak out about James Deen. She said that her encounter with the actor got out of the hand when they both worked with BDSM company Kink. She was 21 at the time she met the actor and filmed her first porn movie with him. After filming was complete, some people in the company went to a bar named the Big Easy to celebrate.

During her interview with the Daily Mail, Blue claimed that Deen sexually assaulted her by urinating in her mouth and raping her with a glass bottle at the party. Even Blue’s photos show her partying with Deen the night of the sexual assault incident. Though she was too embarrassed to speak out about the incident, she did claim she complained about it on a forum set up by Kink, but the post was later removed.

As of Friday, Dec. 4, she is the seventh woman to come forward to say she’s been sexually assaulted or raped by James Deen. He has not responded to the media for further comments on this scandal.

[Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images for Maserati]