The sex industry has been rocked by the deaths of five porn stars in the space of just three months.
The latest was 23-year-old Olivia Lua, who died on 19 January after facing “personal challenges” and months of rehab before suffering a “relapse”.
Porn actresses August Ames, Shyla Stylez, Olivia Nova and Yuri Luv also recently passed away, bringing the total deaths since November 2017 to five.
Ginger Banks, a porn star from Scottsdale, Arizona, believes sex actresses are highly vulnerable to stress due to the taboo nature of their profession.
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"The way society looks at and treats porn stars make us more depressed, it is hard to feel like we don't belong or that we are second-class citizens,” she told Hollywood Life.
In a candid interview, Banks spoke bravely about her mental health issues, which stem from the social stigma attached to her job.
"I have suffered depression because of the way people view my job,” she explained.
“That is the worst part of this job, the way people treat me because of what I do for a living.”
The porn stars we have lost
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“I have suffered depression because of the way people view my job”
Ginger Banks
Many people, including therapists, are not sympathetic towards porn stars, according to Banks.
As a result, porn performers find it hard to speak about their issues without feeling ridiculed.
"We need to facilitate more networking and community for sex workers and entertainers, it is important so you don't feel like you have a dirty secret,” she said.
“So you have an outlet and maybe find a therapist who is OK with your job and who doesn't make you feel ashamed for what you do.”