For years, "Girls Gone Wild" marketed itself as a carefree pop culture phenomenon. But behind the glitz was a dark story of exploitation and abuse.
A new docuseries, Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story, exposes these shocking truths. The three-part series on Peacock dives into allegations of child abuse, rape, and more, all linked to its founder, Joe Francis.
The series includes emotional interviews with alleged victims and former employees. Francis, now living in Mexico, also shares his side of the story in his first in-depth interview in years.
Francis doesn’t hold back. "I don’t want f---ing minors in my s---," he told journalist Scaachi Koul. "An 18-year-old girl is legal, so it can go in the video."
Despite his claims, underage girls often appeared in the videos. Lori, just 16 at the time, shared her experience. "They asked me to flash my boobs. I thought nobody would ever know," she said. Lori later sued and won a small settlement.
Trista, filmed at 19, described a harrowing night. "I’d had a few drinks, and things got fuzzy. The next morning, I knew something happened," she said. "I don’t think it’s ethical. It’s immoral."
Alcohol blurred the lines for many women. Danielle admitted, "I didn’t realize I could say no. I was so naive." Several others shared similar stories.
Francis’ company, Mantra Films, encouraged this behavior. A vice president praised cameramen for persuading women to go further. "Don’t take no for an answer," one said.
Guidelines revealed the strategy. "Be aggressive. DO NOT give up. BE PERSISTENT," they instructed. The series lays bare the predatory tactics that fueled a franchise and harmed countless women.