Why? Because when Joe Francis has to declare bankruptcy. So we’re winning.
After fighting for months to get VAWA passed, after enduring idiotic comments
about rape, and just about every other loss we’ve suffered including state by state attempts to limit women's reproductive rights from abortion to the pill, we get this. And it
is Christmas. Annie-Rose
Strasser had this story over at ThinkProgress.
Soft-core porn company Girls Gone Wild (GGW) is filing for bankruptcy because
they suck hard. The company is owned by Joe Francis, and the decision is
largely based in Francis’ personal money troubles including debt and owing a
casino.
However, there is plenty of financial trouble to go around for Francis
after all there is many a lawsuit against him and his company for exploiting
women, particularly underage women. In their bankruptcy filing, Girls Gone Wild cites debt owed to Tamara
Favazza, a woman who sued the company for putting her on film against her will.
She won the suit and $5.8 million from Francis. Bananas! USA! USA! She sued in
2008, and she claimed someone showed her breasts while filming in a bar in St.
Louis for the “Girls Gone Wild Sorority Orgy” DVD series. According to the
court documents, Favazza won a $5.8 million judgment and then sued Francis,
Girls Gone Wild Brands, and Mantra Films last year in federal court in Missouri
to collect. SNAP. Looks like Francis and co picked the wrong woman to exploit.
GGWBrands calls Favazza’s claim a “trade debt” in the bankruptcy
petition. “Trade debts” in bankruptcy are debts owed to suppliers, vendors, and
other service providers. Favazza isn’t alone in demanding remuneration from
Francis and co. Lindsey Boyd sued GGW back in 2004 for running video of her at
14 years old flashing a cameraman for beads. The case was decided in November
2012, and Boyd lost not because the claim was inaccurate, but only because
Georgia had no law in place that protects her photo from being used for commercials
against her consent. In 2008, four women sued Francis collectively with similar
claims of emotional damages from being filmed while underage. These cases were
tossed because the company had waivers from them.
Francis has spoken to how exploitation is a part of his business model
and integral to his company. In 2006, he plead guilty to exploiting minors and
paid a $500,000 fine for admitting he didn’t keep track of the identities or
ages of the women (and girls) in his videos. We should probably talk about him being an idiot. He plead “no
contest” for charges of child abuse and prostitution for which he served a year
in jail. Francis has to post a 1.5 million bond, which hopefully contributed to
his financial problems.
Favazza’s role in the GGW bankruptcy is symbolic of her victory, and her
case is one of thousands of women who will be glad to see the company die, and
the ruin of the bastard who ran it and
insisted it continue to operate.
