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<strong>Young</strong> <strong>Africans</strong> <strong>Who</strong> <strong>Want</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Be</strong> <strong>Porn</strong> <strong>Stars</strong><br />
Published on The Root (http://www.theroot.com)<br />
Home > <strong>Young</strong> <strong>Africans</strong> <strong>Who</strong> <strong>Want</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Be</strong> <strong>Porn</strong> <strong>Stars</strong><br />
<strong>Young</strong> <strong>Africans</strong> <strong>Who</strong> <strong>Want</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Be</strong> <strong>Porn</strong> <strong>Stars</strong><br />
By: Habibou Bangré<br />
Posted: May 3, 2011 at 12:51 AM<br />
Hundreds of youths try <strong>to</strong> escape poverty by going in<strong>to</strong> Africa's porn industry. Few realize how difficult and<br />
unsafe it can be.<br />
I have been dreaming of becoming a porn ac<strong>to</strong>r since a very young age. I live in the Ivory Coast and I am<br />
looking for a producer or a direc<strong>to</strong>r <strong>to</strong> sign a contract and <strong>to</strong> be in a movie ... I am relying on you <strong>to</strong> make<br />
my dream come true.<br />
This is the advertisement that André (not his real name), a 21-year-old, posted on the Internet with his<br />
email address and cell phone numbers. This computer science student in Grand-Bassam -- a <strong>to</strong>wn some<br />
25 miles from Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast -- is not unusual in Africa. Hundreds of young men and<br />
women in Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa and<br />
elsewhere are all trying <strong>to</strong> join the pornographic-film industry in Africa or abroad.<br />
The world pornography market (adult video networks, pay-per-view movies on cable and satellite,<br />
websites, in-room hotel movies, phone sex, sex <strong>to</strong>ys, magazines and DVDs) is estimated <strong>to</strong> be tens of<br />
billions of dollars, according <strong>to</strong> Dan Miller, managing edi<strong>to</strong>r of XBIZ Premiere, a trade publication for the<br />
adult entertainment industry.<br />
Warning that exact numbers are difficult <strong>to</strong> acquire because the vast majority of companies in the sec<strong>to</strong>r<br />
are privately owned, Miller says, "America's market is by far the largest in the world in terms of scope and<br />
revenue. It far exceeds the market in Europe. Based on the information we have, I would estimate the<br />
market in the U.S. <strong>to</strong> be in the neighborhood of $7 billion."<br />
A Small Industry in Africa<br />
By contrast, the largely Web-oriented African market is small but emerging. The leader on that continent<br />
would be South Africa, which hosted Sexpo, a public expo focused on all aspects of sexuality, in the<br />
second half of 2010. "The size of the entire adult industry in South Africa is said <strong>to</strong> be worth 60 million rand<br />
($8.9 million), but that cannot be independently verified. It is probably the biggest in Africa.<br />
Nigeria should be worth about half of that," says Tau Morena, co-founder of Sondeza ("Bring it closer" in<br />
isiZulu), an African adult online network with more than 39,000 members (almost half of them South<br />
African) and an average of 7,000 unique visi<strong>to</strong>rs daily.<br />
Why hasn't the African pornographic sec<strong>to</strong>r taken off? Morena blames video piracy, which he says that<br />
most governments are not really interested in curbing: "In South Africa in the '90s ... about a million units<br />
were sold per annum, but now with the onslaught of piracy, roughly 150,000 units of all titles are sold on<br />
average, and the numbers keep declining."<br />
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<strong>Young</strong> <strong>Africans</strong> <strong>Who</strong> <strong>Want</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Be</strong> <strong>Porn</strong> <strong>Stars</strong><br />
Another brake is legislation. Producing -- and sometimes even possessing -- pornographic material is<br />
illegal in several African countries. And yet pornographic content is increasingly available in Africa, mainly<br />
because of greater access <strong>to</strong> the Internet and <strong>to</strong> foreign channels that broadcast adult movies.<br />
A Growing Market<br />
That content is also increasingly sought after. "There is a strong demand from the lower and upper middle<br />
classes that have equipped themselves with communication and video equipment (PCs, modems,<br />
webcams). There is also international demand: Nigeria, home <strong>to</strong> one of the world's largest domestic filmproduction<br />
industries, "exports videos and makes different types of content it later puts online on Internet<br />
portals," says Philippe Di Folco, the French author of the Dictionnaire de la <strong>Porn</strong>ographie.<br />
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Foreign demand explains why "African actresses become specialized in different forms of pornography in<br />
Europe," says Cameroonian activist Amély-James Koh <strong>Be</strong>la, who moni<strong>to</strong>rs the pornographic sec<strong>to</strong>r. She<br />
identifies two porn-film companies, Concorde and Maeva, as the <strong>to</strong>p providers of "special black"<br />
pornography that floods the Internet.<br />
In the meantime, the underground amateur African pornographic sec<strong>to</strong>r keeps growing. More than that:<br />
Koh <strong>Be</strong>la says that three major cities in her home country (Douala, Yaoundé and Kribi) have been turned<br />
in<strong>to</strong> porn-filmmaking centers where some ac<strong>to</strong>rs boast about what they do for a living.<br />
Alex (his name has been changed) has long been proud of his job. The young Cameroonian with an Afro<br />
hairstyle directed a handful of movies and founded a company he called Sexe Images Nature Africaine <strong>to</strong><br />
"create jobs and fight local prostitution -- less profitable than pornography." He also starred in two short<br />
movies and was paid 1,500 euros ($2,100) for both by a producer based in France. This was all before he<br />
retired from the business because he "found God."<br />
"Super sexy cute South African porn star"<br />
South African Palesa Mbau is not likely <strong>to</strong> be retiring anytime soon. The 23-year-old auditioned for a movie<br />
cast through Sondeza.com about a year ago. "The idea of creating a local film was inspired by our<br />
members, who asked us <strong>to</strong> produce something 100 percent local and relevant <strong>to</strong> our market," says<br />
Morena, who produced the film. "We asked for members of the website <strong>to</strong> come forward and be part of this<br />
experience, as there are no professional porn stars in South Africa."<br />
There were more than 1,000 candidates (mainly men) from all walks of life. Mbau was chosen, along with<br />
four other amateurs -- two women and two men -- for Mapona ["naked" in Sesotho], Volume 1, which has<br />
sold some 5,000 copies since its release last September. "I am getting proud because it is a black<br />
[pornographic movie]," says Mbau. "That is raising black empowerment because the porn films that you<br />
[commonly] see in South Africa are all white."<br />
Is Mapona a turning point in the pornographic career that she started three years ago for "personal<br />
reasons"? One thing is for sure: The light-skinned actress, who met high-profile representatives of the<br />
adult industry at Sexpo, is determined <strong>to</strong> get somewhere in the X sec<strong>to</strong>r. "I have a full-time job in a call<br />
center, but I see my future over there. ... I do not have any problem saying that," she says.<br />
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<strong>Young</strong> <strong>Africans</strong> <strong>Who</strong> <strong>Want</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Be</strong> <strong>Porn</strong> <strong>Stars</strong><br />
Mbau has already tagged herself "super sexy cute South African porn star" on the Facebook fan page she<br />
opened at the end of 2010, and where she <strong>to</strong>day has some 2,200 fans. The woman with a teenage voice<br />
from Midrand, in the northern province of Gauteng, is using the page <strong>to</strong> make a name for herself and<br />
share sexual feelings and jokes with her fans.<br />
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She is also building a reputation with her website, where she posted some explicit pictures of herself and<br />
where she sells private shows <strong>to</strong> "high-class clients." For instance, the rates for "personal pho<strong>to</strong>s and<br />
video -- additional" range from 500 <strong>to</strong> 1,000 rands (from $75 <strong>to</strong> $150), depending on whether she has <strong>to</strong><br />
provide a cameraman.<br />
Exploitation, Human Trafficking and Health Risks<br />
No wonder, says Koh <strong>Be</strong>la, that some African youths see pornographic ac<strong>to</strong>rs as examples of success -all<br />
the more because some manage <strong>to</strong> earn far more money with one film than the average African does in<br />
a month. What these young people do not always know, though, is that big money is rare in this sec<strong>to</strong>r.<br />
<strong>Be</strong>sides, the threat of human trafficking -- the third most widespread criminal activity worldwide, according<br />
<strong>to</strong> the United Nations -- is worrying in some countries.<br />
Around 5 percent of the victims of human trafficking identified in Western and Central Europe are of<br />
African origin, mainly coming from "West African communities, in particular Nigerian women and girls,"<br />
according <strong>to</strong> "The Globalization of Crime -- a Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment," (pdf), a<br />
report released in June 2010 by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. "Studies of Nigerian<br />
victims report that acquaintances, close friends or family members play a major role in the recruitment of<br />
victims. ... The vast majority of West African women and girls are exploited in street prostitution."<br />
Are the victims exploited in the pornographic sec<strong>to</strong>r, <strong>to</strong>o? "When a child is caught in a network, the human<br />
trafficker exploits it in every possible way," states Anne-Sophie Faysse, project leader at the French<br />
branch of ECPAT, an international network fighting child sexual exploitation. "You can find cases of rape;<br />
prostitution, which is much more visible; and pornographic-material production. In this last case, this is<br />
almost exclusively cyber pornography [pho<strong>to</strong>s, movies]." Adults -- women, for the most part -- may also be<br />
trapped.<br />
Koh <strong>Be</strong>la, who is president of Mayina, a French association against human trafficking, indeed warns that<br />
human traffickers do not hesitate <strong>to</strong> force some victims in<strong>to</strong> extreme forms of pornography, such as<br />
bestiality. "Some young women or mothers of victims <strong>to</strong>ld us that Western <strong>to</strong>urists, for the most part,<br />
rented villas where they organize private parties," says Koh <strong>Be</strong>la. "They make the girls drunk and drug<br />
them before giving them <strong>to</strong> the dogs for hours of sexual intercourse. At the end of the party, the girls can<br />
earn 150,000 FCFA [about $325]."<br />
Like some of their Western counterparts, African ac<strong>to</strong>rs are also exposed <strong>to</strong> serious health risks. The use<br />
of condoms is often not allowed during shoots, and HIV testing is not always compulsory. This can add <strong>to</strong><br />
the AIDS burden of Africa, where 22.5 million of those living in sub-Saharan countries are already infected,<br />
according <strong>to</strong> the latest Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (<strong>UN</strong>AIDS) global report. Tau Morena<br />
insisted that the use of condoms be visible in each sex scene of Mapona and in his next movies, including<br />
Mapona, Volume 2, which is scheduled <strong>to</strong> be released in a few months.<br />
"<strong>Be</strong>tter" Opportunities <strong>Be</strong>yond Africa?<br />
The Ivorian André does not really think about the risks. He is still focusing on building a career that he<br />
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<strong>Young</strong> <strong>Africans</strong> <strong>Who</strong> <strong>Want</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>Be</strong> <strong>Porn</strong> <strong>Stars</strong><br />
believes will get him and his family out of poverty. Fela shares the same motivations. A native of <strong>Be</strong>nin and<br />
mother of a 5-year-old girl, she says that she earns $200 <strong>to</strong> $300 a month when business -- organizing<br />
special events in nightclubs -- is good, and sometimes as little as $100. So she has decided <strong>to</strong> combine<br />
business and pleasure.<br />
"I love all that goes with eroticism, sex and seduction," says Fela, who lives in Lomé, the capital of<br />
neighboring Togo. "It is like second nature. My friends circulate amateur sex videos of me free of charge,<br />
and I hope that one day, someone will pay attention <strong>to</strong> me and call me for a shoot."<br />
Hers may not be the best approach. "I spoke several times by email with so-called direc<strong>to</strong>rs who had seen<br />
my ads," says André. "In the end, they asked for pictures of my penis. I sent them and never heard from<br />
them again ... "<br />
Diana, 28, has managed <strong>to</strong> avoid such tricks. Just like Fela, she is a single mother struggling <strong>to</strong> make a<br />
decent living for her 11-year-old child. Just like Fela, she wants <strong>to</strong> work in pornography "for pleasure and<br />
money." Still, the Cameroonian, living in Bata, the second-largest city in oil-rich Equa<strong>to</strong>rial Guinea, is<br />
determined <strong>to</strong> wait for a better opportunity -- and it may not be in Africa. "I remember an Ivorian film shot in<br />
the bush," she says. "Everything looked dirty. There were flies everywhere ... Western movies look classier<br />
<strong>to</strong> me."<br />
Koh <strong>Be</strong>la, who is the author of Mon Combat Contre La Prostitution ("My Battle Against Prostitution"),<br />
confirms that observation. She has reviewed hundreds of African sex films, some of which are sold in<br />
Château Rouge, a neighborhood of Paris with a strong African presence. "The rare movies with African<br />
ac<strong>to</strong>rs that have good production values have been directed by European producers -- among others,<br />
French, Dutch and German," she says. "After having flooded the Internet, these movies are finding a place<br />
in the DVD market, while African-produced movies are usually so poor at every level that big producers<br />
will never distribute them."<br />
This may explain why some youths attend informal pornographic classes. "There are initiation circles in<br />
Douala and Abidjan," Koh <strong>Be</strong>la reveals. "In dedicated apartments, young women watch movies <strong>to</strong> learn<br />
every kind of caress, sexual positions and Western-style pornographic techniques. The 'teachers' do not<br />
hesitate <strong>to</strong> show the girls how <strong>to</strong> do things right. ... They also test men's and women's abilities."<br />
Is this the best way <strong>to</strong> enter the sec<strong>to</strong>r? Not necessarily, according <strong>to</strong> Philippe Di Folco. "The amateur<br />
quality is what buyers want," he says. "Today, consumers value the effect of realism because it is like they<br />
are voyeurs of private scenes, present in the bedroom or in the spot where the sexual intercourse is taking<br />
place."<br />
Meanwhile, André relies on the visual experience he got perusing movies and magazines. He also counts<br />
on luck. When he shares his aspirations with his male friends who also want <strong>to</strong> become porn ac<strong>to</strong>rs, they<br />
find hope in their fellow <strong>Africans</strong> who have had the opportunity <strong>to</strong> perform in adult movies in France.<br />
Habibou Bangré is a freelance journalist based in France.<br />
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[12] http://www.xbizpremiere.com/<br />
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[14] http://www.twitter.com/theroot247<br />
[15] http://amelyjames.afrikblog.com/<br />
[16] http://www.palesambau.com/live/<br />
[17] http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/<strong>to</strong>cta/TOCTA_Report_2010_low_res.pdf<br />
[18] http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/index.html?ref=menuside<br />
[19] http://www.ecpat.net/EI/index.asp<br />
[20] http://www.dailymotion.com/Koh<strong>Be</strong>la#videoId=x8ns9s<br />
[21] http://mayina.afrikblog.com/<br />
[22] http://www.unaids.org/globalreport/Global_report.htm<br />
[23] http://www.amazon.fr/combat-contre-prostitution-Am%C3%A9ly-James-<strong>Be</strong>la/dp/2350130886<br />
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[28] http://www.theroot.com/category/views-tags/africa-and-sex-industry<br />
[29] http://www.theroot.com/category/views-tags/human-trafficking-and-african-pornography<br />
[30] http://www.theroot.com/category/views-tags/nigeria-pornography<br />
[31] http://www.theroot.com/category/views-tags/pornography-africa<br />
[32] http://www.theroot.com/category/views-tags/sex-trafficking-africa<br />
[33] http://www.theroot.com/views/World<br />
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[35] http://www.theroot.com/views/blacks-and-arab-israeli-conflict<br />
[36] http://www.theroot.com/views/single-minded-oprahs-lasting-impression<br />
[37] http://www.theroot.com/views/black-chatter-not-leadership<br />
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