Amid mass lockdowns and paltry pay, online erotic sex became a lifeline for millions of Russians during the pandemic. For many, a career as a cam model, or cam girl, was a way to make money while entertaining fans from the comfort of home. For some, the gig became an addiction, a means of escape from the everyday routine and stress of the job market. The industry is not without its risks, however. A 2022 Supreme Court ruling classified erotic streams as pornography and convictions have skyrocketed. DW spoke to several cam models, who agreed to speak anonymously for their safety and security.
The vast gray market for erotic webcam streaming services in Russia is estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of rubles a year, according to an article by Fontanka from 2022. The majority of streamers are women, usually students or working professionals who earn 20,000 to 50,000 rubles per month (around $257 to $650,000 in US dollars).
Most studios are located in St. Petersburg, where around 200 agencies specialize in erotic cam services. The models work on specialized platforms where users can chat for free and offer the models payment in exchange for a particular experience or sexual fantasy. The models can also broadcast their own sexy content, and some even organize live shows for their fans.
The most popular platforms are PornHub and Onlyfans. The average Russian cam girl works eight to ten hours a day, five days a week. Some report earning close to $2,000 a month, which is not bad for a profession with a flexible schedule and relatively low risk.
However, the industry has been shaken by a series of raids conducted in recent years. Some models have been detained, interrogated and sentenced to probation or jail time, as reported by Novaya Gazeta Europe in a 2024 article. Others have resorted to new methods of concealing their identity and avoiding detection by authorities.
Some of the most notorious cases involve queer fetishists. In one case, Matvey Volodin, a gay man who ran the Telegram channel USSRboy, was charged with pornography distribution after publishing videos on his channel featuring himself engaging in various sexual acts. The prosecutors argued that his content violated anti-gay and homophobic laws, and was a propaganda tool for Russia’s war with Ukraine.
The charges against him sparked outrage among many LGBTQ+ activists, and the accusations against other queer-friendly streamers have raised alarms over how Russian law enforcement treats the gay community.
Many studio owners have developed security protocols for their spaces and models, including asking performers to purge social media and train themselves to dress quickly when a camera is pointed their way. They have also begun allowing their models to deposit and withdraw funds with cryptocurrency. Still, most of the models DW spoke to said they knew at least one person who had been subjected to police searches and other harassment. Most, like Volodin, managed to avoid arrest and conviction.