James Franco's sex addiction is not an excuse to justify his behaviour

Image: Los Angeles Times

With the #MeToo movement creating ripples for true justice for victims of sexual assault, new stories of Hollywood actors engaging in sexual misconduct are constantly emerging.

In 2018, multiple women came out against James Franco for sexual assault and sexually inappropriate behaviour. James Franco was teaching at an acting school that he ran at the time, and had multiple sexual relations with the women attending his classes.

Multiple women stated that they felt compelled to do things such as perform topless or engage in sexual activities with him even if they were uncomfortable because he offered a false pretense of career advancements. Furthermore, when shooting sex scenes on set, it was said that he removed protective plastic guards on actresses’ vaginas.

Recently, the actor spoke with The Jess Cagle Podcast, addressing the sexual misconduct allegations. He says in the interview that “If you’re not dating someone and you want to go and hook up like whatever happens between two consenting adults is fine…. like you said like completely blind to power dynamics or anything like that but also completely blind to people’s feelings..”

The controversy resurfaced as many believed that he should have been more responsible for his actions, as there was a clear power imbalance between him and his students.

In the same interview, he also discussed that he struggled with sex addiction since he was 17, and how sex was a means of validating his worth. In many cases, sex addictions can be hard to manage because often, people who have them have been clinically proven to associate feelings of guilt, no control over themselves, and shame with the disorder. He also stated that his sex addiction was the reason why he was blind to power dynamics, but he understands that he hurt these women in the long run.

Sex addiction, or compulsive sexual behaviour, is currently not a diagnosis in the DSM-5. The DSM-5 is used by mental health professionals in North America to classify and diagnose mental health disorders. However, “Other specified sexual dysfunction” can still be given as a diagnosis for individuals who have symptoms of sex addiction.

People with this addiction, like people who have alcohol or drug addictions, report compulsively needing sex, and performing sexual acts in order to get their “fix”.

This can put a strain on their work lives or interpersonal relationships, as they are reportedly unable to control their behavior despite the consequences.

Unfortunately, due to the controversy of the diagnosis, there aren’t many evidence-based treatments for people who struggle with sex addiction – even if there are a high number of reported cases.

However, treatments often follow the same recovery models of other addictions. Some examples include: inpatient treatment programs, 12 step programs, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Now, some of the behavioral symptoms can include, but are not limited to: an inability to control sexual urges, detachment, feelings of guilt and shame, and giving up social, work-related, or recreational activities to pursue sexual stimulation.

Although the diagnosis is still under debate, many people are familiar with the term as it comes up in pop culture quite often.

It has been said to be the cause of many affairs and divorces amongst celebrities, such as Britney Spears, Charlie Sheen, and Kanye West.

By no means does sex addiction justify James Franco’s, or anybody’s actions against victims who do not consent. In fact, it can be argued that sex addiction is irrelevant to the matter of consent entirely as someone with a sex addiction can engage safely and consensually with the partners that they choose to engage with. The key to this is that their partners are actively choosing to engage in sexual activity with them without coercion or having their physical boundaries deeply violated.

Victims of any sexual misconduct or assault are valid in their need for justice, pain, and anger.

However, the complexities and lack of research around sex addiction do leave room for discussion surrounding the support that not only the victims, but the perpetrators and their families need.

If sexual addiction is to be like any other drug or alcohol addiction, it’s extremely possible that the perpetrator is blinded by their need for their “fix” and is unable to think through what is right and wrong.

Many individuals who struggle with substance abuse also struggle with hurting their family members and others because of the way their brains are wired due to their addiction.

This doesn’t mean that if they commit a crime, they shouldn’t be held accountable, but rather that their actions may come from a different place in comparison to someone that is intentionally hurting others with complete disregard for their wellbeing.

This can create a gray area in the justice system as it leaves room for individuals to use it as an excuse for their heinous behaviors.

We don’t have a lot of answers as of right now. Although sex addiction is not a diagnosis yet, many people report struggling with this issue and need the same compassion and support given to others with addiction. But, there don’t seem to be many sex addiction-specific treatments that offer proper rehabilitation.

Furthermore, we’re unable to predict how this would affect future court cases if it were to become a diagnosis.

Perhaps this can be a start of a conversation that we are able to hold as a community.