Paul Mulholland wasn’t always a blogging crusader for the exploited—at least, not until he allegedly realized there was clout to be gained. A blogger with a history of stirring controversy, he appeared to find his meal ticket when he aligned himself with Exodus Cry. Suddenly, he was no longer just another internet loudmouth; in his own mind, he had become a whistleblower—a self-styled white knight against the evils of an industry he had, by his own admission, once enjoyed as a consumer.
His initial interest in the adult industry was based on personal consumption. Now, however, he blogs for attention and, seemingly, for a pathway into relevance within a movement that rewards moral certainty over nuance.
Selective Outrage and Narrative Building
Mulholland’s blogging eventually led to one of his articles being featured on Exodus Cry’s website, targeting a so-called “shock” adult site with alleged accounts from former performers. Yet, little effort appears to have been made to verify whether the site in question operated within legal and ethical boundaries, or whether the performers involved were independent professionals exercising their own agency.
Instead, the focus remained on constructing a narrative that fit his newly adopted righteous role. Meanwhile, actual victims of human trafficking—those who are street-trafficked, trapped in exploitative conditions outside the regulated adult industry, often without immigration documents—go largely ignored in his reporting.
Some might argue that this selective outrage does a disservice to those in genuine need, and that Mulholland’s compassion may be constrained by personal bias rather than informed understanding.
The Double Standard of Mulholland’s Crusade
Mulholland’s crusade also raises questions about motive. Under the guise of “gathering evidence,” he has sifted through performer profiles, scrutinized content, and contacted women he claims to want to “save.” However, it is alleged that he lacks firsthand experience within the adult industry—never having been on set or interacted with professionals in person.
As a result, his perspective remains that of an outsider looking in. His interpretations may be shaped less by reality and more by assumption, ideology, and confirmation bias.
A comparison to professional wrestling offers some insight. Independent wrestlers routinely subject themselves to extreme physical punishment—often for minimal pay—fully aware of the risks involved. Similarly, many adult performers choose to engage in extreme content on their own terms.
Yet Mulholland’s focus appears to fixate selectively on certain women, raising the question of whether his outrage stems from genuine concern or from a desire for validation, credibility, or social access within the activist space.
Aligning With Exodus Cry: A Convenient Morality
Aligning with Exodus Cry allows individuals to present themselves as deeply compassionate and socially responsible, even when their underlying motivations remain unclear. In the post-#MeToo era, credibility is often built on perceived activism, and affiliation with an organization that claims to combat trafficking confers instant moral authority.
However, sex work is a complex, historically entrenched industry. Movements that seek to eradicate it entirely frequently stem from ideological or religious motivations rather than concern for an individual’s right to choose what to do with their own body.
Exodus Cry’s messaging frames nearly all aspects of the adult industry as exploitative, offering a convenient platform for those eager to position themselves as saviors. The issue arises when this framing is used to advance personal or ideological agendas rather than address demonstrable harm.
When someone presents themselves as a protector of victims—whether real or imagined—they gain trust, influence, and narrative control. At its worst, this approach may be less about safeguarding the vulnerable and more about leveraging perceived empathy for status, access, or ideological gain.
Preaching to the Echo Chamber
Mulholland has aligned himself with religiously motivated, extreme social conservatives who provide a perfect echo chamber for morality-driven outrage. In this worldview, nuance disappears. There are only villains and victims, sinners and saviors.
By reinforcing pre-existing fears, Mulholland taps into an audience eager to believe that every sex worker is a victim and every adult website is inherently malicious. In such spaces, facts become secondary to the validation of deeply held assumptions.
For bloggers operating in this space, fear is currency. Feeding it to a receptive audience becomes a pathway to relevance, influence, and ideological reinforcement.