Adult performer Tatum Onassis sues Diabolic Video, Zero Tolerance, Third Degree Films, and Elegant Angel

I remember one day a girl on Twitter was saying it wasn’t fair that people were trying to shame her for publishing content without the proper documentation.

She didn’t seem to grasp just how vitally important every signature was. It’s the one thing that could keep her out of jail.

This is something that Diabolic Video, Zero Tolerance, Third Degree Films, and Elegant Angel learned the hard way. They are being sued by female performer Tatum Onassis, a case that could easily turn criminal under the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (TVPRA).

In her suit, she claims she was forced to perform sexual acts in movies.

And while each of the companies have model releases, that may be the only thing that saves them. But not just because they have the model release but in some cases, these companies record the model releases being signed.

If you don’t record the behind the scenes, then any girl (like in the case of Tatum Onassis) can come forward and say, “I WAS SEX TRAFFICKED – THEY MADE ME DO THIS MOVIE“.

Without proof that the person willingly signed that model release, it becomes your word against theirs that they willingly and without hesitation.

This means when you are sitting down prior to doing the scene you record the person signing the model release. You also ask them questions like, are you doing this willingly? Are you sober? Are you over 18? Then record them holding a copy of their ID.

One day you don’t want to wake up with these allegations against you ….

9. Steele’s conduct violates the TVPRA because she knowingly used means of
force, fraud, and coercion to force Jane Doe to engage in commercial sex so that she could
profit from the activity.

10. The Adult Film Companies’ conduct violates the TVPRA because they
benefitted, financially or otherwise, by aiding and abetting, facilitating, and participating in
Steele’s sex trafficking venture, knowing that she would use means of fraud, force, and
coercion to sex traffic Jane Doe.

Make sure that you get proper 2257 and model releases for every scene you do.  You want to record (even if just with your phone) the person signing the model release, the 2257, the person holding their ID, and then going over the performer consent form.

• You can get a blank model release from the APAG Union Website.
• You can get the proper 2257 compliance from the APAG Union Website.
• You can get a copy of a Performer Consent checklist here.

You don’t want to film a scene, even if just a content trade with someone like Tatum Onassis who tomorrow may turn on you and say you made them do it – you forced or coerced them. Because that could mean more than just a civil lawsuit, it could mean serious jail time.