Good morning, Wentyl.

I’ve spent weeks immersed in the murky world of global pornography platform OnlyFans. 

As the mother of a daughter and two sons, I’ve found revelations from industry insiders truly alarming.

Former OnlyFans recruiter Victoria Sinis explained how "talent management agents" are approaching underage girls on social media, promising them riches and fame on the pornographic platform when they turn 18. Ms Sinis told me:

“Now we have underage girls posting pornographic content on the internet in the hope that one day they can go join a porn platform."

It’s the “fresh 18” pipeline, with popular social media sites such as Instagram and TikTok acting as a gateway to pornography and sex work.

Australia has the highest per capita rate of OnlyFans content creators in the world – 140,000 people. One in five are aged 18 to 25.

Quinn Everly runs one of Australia's largest OnlyFans talent agencies, representing content creators like the Maddison twins and Chloe Mira. Her company does not engage in grooming practices or seek to recruit girls who are underage. Dr Everly says: "We wouldn’t work with someone who had just turned 18 ... I really would not encourage anyone to get into this industry at 18 years old."

In a two-part series, I examine how the grooming starts as young as age seven, with girls idolising influencers turned adult content creators such as Anna Paul and Piper Rockelle, attracted by their young, cute looks.

By 13, girls are dreaming of entering the Bop House, a Florida mansion which is a promotional vehicle for explicit adults-only OnlyFans content.

By the time they turn 18, they’re a highly prized commodity because OnlyFans’ biggest market – married men in their 30s and 40s – seem to favour women who are “fresh 18” or “barely legal”.

The series also includes warnings from OnlyFans model Chloe Mira and agency owner Quinn Everly about the industry’s dangers. 

Mira’s comments really struck home: “There are going to be people in your life and in the world that may never see you as a human being again.”

Her words are a far cry from the riches and glamour promised to the young women by those trying to drag them into the industry.

The stories, which have attracted a huge response from our readers, include tips for parents to help kick-start conversations with their children and red flags to watch out for.