A 19-year-old college student from Oregon State University was recently caught filming herself doing a solo pornographic video and has since been released from the school. Moreover, she is facing potential jail time of up to a year and over $6,000 of fine. According to her social media profiles, she said that it is 'awkward for her to return to school' with all the negative publicity.
While her misdemeanor has caught quite a stir on the web, Kendra Sunderland is still young and faces uncertain futures, as adult companies have already approached her, luring her into selling her body by vouching to pay for her fines and promising her a career in the adult entertainment industry. In order to pay for legal fees, she continues to go down this path of certain ends.
The West Salem High School graduate now needs all the support from her family and friends, especially the believers of Christ, to help her understand cope with the barrage of harassments from classmates and anonymous commentators who trolls her social media profile, and to turn her away from the sexually-unsatiated adult industry.
Similar Beginnings That Lead to Nowhere
Sunderland's sudden rise to fame reminds of the late-Alyssa Funke, who took her own life last year after enduring relentless taunts and harassments from classmates after auditioning for a porn video via a website. Just two weeks after the audition video hit porn site Casting Couch, she shot herself with a shotgun.
The comments left on Funke's Facebook and Twitter were relentless.
"Wow your (sic) a thot," wrote one, including a slang acronym for "that ho over there." Another wrote, "Does her dad know?"
"Nothing brings a school together like a pornstar who graduated last year," chimed in a third.
Funke didn't let her classmates know the comments affected her. She answered a few with social media posts of her own, including "Pornstar status" and "FAMOUS for dayzzzzz."
Following the news of her suicide, Funke's family confirmed that she had a difficult family life. The young girl struggled with depression, her father is in prison, and her mother has been charged with dealing drugs.
Funke, who wanted to be an anesthesiologist, also struggled with money, needing to transfer from a private college to public last year as she tried to raise cash for her education.
The girl's family said her death was the direct result of online bullying, and wanted to encourage other girls to not make the same mistakes. They want young women to understand the pressure that comes from social media and the stigma porn carries, the New York Daily News reports.
Joy Friedman, a social worker at a Minneapolis nonprofit that helps sex workers escape the industry, says Funke's story reveals how damaging the porn industry can be.
"This is permanent, she can't erase this. Now, it goes into your family, it goes into your friends, it goes into your career," Friedman told the news station. "In the future, this is what you're known for and this is who you're labeled as. That affects you."
When asked whether she blames the students from Stillwater High, Friedman said, "Yeah, I do."
"I mean, I blame them 'cause everybody plays a role here. You can be a part -- positive or negative. Why did no one go talk to her and say, 'Girl, why did you do that? What can I do to help you?'" she explained. "Instead, we jump on the bandwagon and it's her fault 'cause she got in a video."
"The fact is: If this is such a glamorous, okay job/lifestyle/career, why'd she kill herself?" Friedman added.
Now, What About Kendra Sunderland?
Going back to Sunderland, she also received a series of barrages, which she retweeted as a glimpse into the comments she has been receiving since her story made news headlines.
In an attempt to fend off the online comments, the West Salem High graduate posted a reply on Facebook:
"Don't like me? Cool U probably don't even know me. Think I'm stupid? Join the club. Point is Idgaf what u do with Ur life so don't worry about what I do with mine. People who have nice things to say feel free to comment, If u wanna talk shit keep it to yourself and unfollow me. Simple as that comment for a follow back... spread the love people."
Despite her seemingly unrepentant attitude, Sunderland had posted on her Twitter account that said, "Lord, have mercy on my rough and rowdy ways," but has since removed this sentece from her account. Through this small indication, she may have had some exposure to the message of Christ's redemption and forgiveness.
Judging by her social media posts, it is easy for one to judge and hurl insults, but Christ taught a different example of approaching one with sin. In John 8, the teachers of the law brought a woman who was caught in the act of adultry before Jesus, and they asked him what should be done to her. According to the laws of Moses, an adulterer should be stoned to death.
However, Jesus didn't reply according to what they wanted to hear, but he said, "Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.
Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you,"Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
None of us is without sin, so who can judge her except God alone. However, believers must point her to Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, because only Jesus can satisfy her deepest longings and heal her broken heart that is filled with poison of sin.
While her social media pages are filled with racy pictures, you may encourage her to not get affected by the harassments and online bullying, and gently share with her the meaning of Christ's sacrifice on the cross, hoping that Holy Spirit would convict her heart to turn to Him. If you are her friend or classmate, reach out to her and find out what you can do to help her in hopes that she may reconsider the consequences of continuing this path.
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