The controversial provider of racially charged gonzo pornography has decided not to let the incident with the actress Leigh Raven pass silently. The scene in question was advertised and published on BlackPayback with provocative comments claiming the actress lied to the public about being mistreated.
The porn actress Leigh Raven posted a video on YouTube last year after shooting for BlackPayback, in which she made heavy accusations against the scene’s director and also against her male co-star. (The YouTube video has since been deleted.) Director Just Dave, who is also active on Twitter, is responsible for directing scenes for the new niche website BlackPayback, owned by the same team also involved with the highly controversial websites Facialabuse, LatinaAbuse and GhettoGaggers. Just Dave responded to the accusations by publishing behind-the-scenes footage of the shoot, which showed no signs of abuse or an unprofessional set. The male partner in the scene also publicly denied that the situation on the set showed signs of the actress being overwhelmed.
Since the scenes in BlackPayback are unusually brutal and the actresses are subjected to real pain and attempts are often made to play with psychological effects on actresses basically playing themselves, it’s not easy to judge to what extent performers are still able to make clear that there’s no longer any consent. A basic problem, to which the people in charge at the site apparently still do not want to respond.
Nothing learned? Or just a zest for provocations?
The release of the scene was now accompanied with mocking and derisive comments. Leigh Raven is accused of lying and the accusations are met with mockery. These comments do fit in with the satirical-misogynous tone of the site and could be interpreted as part of the fiction of the site as well. Nevertheless, the makers are probably just pouring oil on the fire instead of leaving behind the Shitstorm they narrowly got through.
The offerings of the website’s network DukeDollars have been navigating a legally sound but ethically questionable course for over a decade. Whether the additional provocation is such a clever tactic is doubtful even in the most well-meaning interpretation of freedom of opinion, sexual freedom and free kink pornography. At a time when the freedoms of pornography are being increasingly attacked worldwide, the team at DukeDollars seems to be playing with fire.