Evil Angel and Tasha Reign Cut Ties With Adult Film Star James Deen in the Wake of Sexual Assault Allegations

Joanna Angel has also announced plans to speak publicly about her relationship with Deen for the first time.

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Complex Original

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In the days since fellow adult film star Stoya accused him of rape on Twitter, James Deen has remained mostly silent aside from one brief Instagram note calling the accusations "egregious claims." According to Deen, these claims are "false and defamatory" because he has always maintained a respect for limits "both professionally and privately." However, following Stoya's tweets, a number of other women came forward with accusations of their own.

Speaking with the Daily Beast, adult film star Tori Lux says Deen struck her in the face and head "five or six times" with an open palm while forcefully straddling her. Shortly after Lux's account was revealed, Ashley Fires came forward with her own accusation that Deen was "so out of line and entitled" with her body, followed quickly by LAist's statement from a woman known as "T.M." Just as news broke that Deep was stepping down from his role as chairperson of the board of directors for the Adult Performer Advocacy Committee (APAC), his ties with adult film company Kink were severed. Deen's sex advice column, published via The Frisky, was also suspended in the wake of the allegations.

The distancing continued on Tuesday, with Evil Angel's founder John Staglianorevealing his decision to cease the company's business relationship with Deen:

In light of the recent accusations against James Deen, Evil Angel today has decided not to sell any newly created scenes featuring Deen. While our company presents what is consensual and exploratory about aggressive and rough sex, these accusations are of a nature so contrary to our company values that we feel it necessary to suspend the sales until more information is available.

Previous collaborator Tasha Reign also confirmed her decision to recast Deen's role in a forthcoming production, telling the Daily Beast she's a feminist first, a pornographer second:

I’ve done tons of scenes with him, I’ve hung out with him, and I really like him… but I am a feminist before I am a model or pornographer. When a women says that’s happened to her, that’s something we have to take seriously. In my heart I wanted so badly for it to not be real but there are so many accounts.

Later this week, Joanna Angel is expected to open up about her relationship with Deen for the first time in an interview on SiriusXM's The Jason Ellis Show. Angel, who quickly and passionately expressed support for Stoya on Twitter, was in a relationship with Deen for six years.

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