With hit shows like MTV’s 16 and Pregnant and Teen Mom OG, unscrupulous producers hope to continue to exploit teenage pregnancies. However, finding interesting teens and families, which could attract viewers, is next to impossible. A recent lawsuit filed in LA County accuses the producers of the TV project Bump in the Road of paying teen boys to have unprotected sex with their girlfriends or other teen girls. The suit claims producers targeted more affluent areas hoping the dynamics would draw more attention to the show. Amy Hampton, lawyer for the plaintiffs, called the reality producers, “a hazard to American families and the next generation of adults.”
“Teen boys were told to poke holes in condoms and other deceitful acts,” said Ms. Hampton. “When the girls found out, they were traumatized. Their entire lives could have been affected.” The scam was discovered after one girl confronted her boyfriend after finding a series of texts on the boyfriend’s phone. The texts discussed how big a hole should be poked in a condom for it to fail without attracting attention. So far none of the girls caught in the scam have become pregnant. Although, Ms. Hampton stated no one knew how long the scam had been used and how often. “I hate to think of other poor teens abused by these criminals.”
Calls to the show Bump in the Road have gone unreturned. As of the time of the article, no station has bought the show. “We were not interested in the show when it was pitched,” spoke one TV executive under condition of anonymity. “No one was aware of these allegations. We do not and would never condone these actions.”