From the Badge to the Camera: How Policing Shaped My Ethical Sex Work

During my military and law enforcement careers, I never imagined that I would eventually find myself making adult content. Yet here I am, writing this with the knowledge of years of experience and the clarity from seeing the darkest corners of human behavior. When I first took the oath to defend the US Constitution and uphold the law, I thought my role was simple: enforce the law, protect the public, and uphold justice. But soon, I realized that the law often failed those it was meant to protect, especially survivors of sexual assault, rape, and domestic violence. I am not talking about just the shortcomings of law enforcement, but also the failures of the judicial system and politicians. And somewhere along the way, the lessons I learned responding to human trauma would become the foundation for my approach to ethical sex work.

The Weight of What I Saw as an Officer

When I responded to sexual assaults, rapes, and domestic violence as a law enforcement officer, I saw people betrayed by partners, abandoned by friends, and doubted by the institutions tasked to help them. I will never forget the tremble of a person’s voice who has just been violated, as they recall the details of their victimhood. The desperation, fear, and shame they live with you long after I clear the scene—trauma they will carry for the rest of their lives.

I also saw the hypocrisy of my colleagues: some were compassionate, attentive, and careful, but others minimized survivors’ experiences, blamed them for their trauma, or treated sexual violence as an uncomfortable nuisance that needed to be dealt with before their shift ended. Systemic failures became impossible to ignore. I learned that policies and procedures were insufficient; empathy, vigilance, and ethical clarity were critical.

It was emotionally exhausting. You develop a sixth sense for danger, deceit, and risk. You also develop a deep respect for boundaries, consent, and the stories that people carry silently. These lessons didn’t leave me when I left law enforcement; they became a lens through which I see the world, including my work in adult content creation.

How Trauma Informed My Ethics Without Defining Me

You might wonder: “Does that trauma make you seek out sex work as a way to heal?” The answer can be complicated. Many current and former law enforcement officers are involved in adult content creation, and I cannot speak for their motivation. However, for me, trauma informed my choices, but it did not define or motivate them. I didn’t enter adult content because of the violence I witnessed; I entered because I enjoy the freedom and pleasure of sexuality. However, I entered sex work understanding the value of autonomy, the importance of consent, and the power of ethical engagement with human sexuality.

Having seen firsthand how easily boundaries can be violated, I became hyper-aware of the responsibility that comes with any sexual encounter, whether it’s intimate, professional, or performative. I realized that consent is not a checkbox; it’s an ongoing dialogue, a negotiated space, a set of principles that must be respected at every step.

When I transitioned to adult content creation, I brought my policing mindset with me—but I reframed it as a toolkit for ethical creation. This toolkit is used to screen collaborators rigorously, communicate boundaries clearly, document consent, and operate transparently.

Choosing Sex Work: Agency, Autonomy, and Ethics

When people hear “sex worker” or “adult content creator,” they often assume desperation, trauma, or exploitation. Society loves to romanticize suffering and vilify choice. But for me, sex work is a conscious, intentional choice—a way to exercise control over my body, my freedoms, and my story. I choose if and with whom I collaborate, what content I create, and the lines I will never cross. Also, my wife is in the constant know and her approval and support are paramount to my decisions.

I refuse to participate in anything that eroticizes coercion, violence, or non-consent. I reject tropes that exploit trauma for profit. I am unapologetic about the spaces I occupy, and I use my platform to challenge the hypocrisy around sex and adult content. You see, society has no problem consuming sexual content in private while publicly shaming those who create it. It also tolerates sexual violence in institutions while criminalizing consensual adult work.

Trauma-Informed Ethics in Adult Content Creation

Ethics in adult content are not abstract; they are practical, procedural, and human. Like law enforcement, the difference between harm and safety often comes down to preparation, vigilance, and respect for boundaries. To avoid pitfalls, content creators must implement:

• Rigorous screening of collaborators to ensure they understand consent and boundaries

• Clear contracts and agreements about what will and will not be performed

• Ongoing communication before, during, and after content creation

• Transparency with my audience about the consensual nature of my work

These practices might sound simple, but they are revolutionary in an industry often criticized for exploitation. By creating content ethically, I protect myself, my collaborators, and my audience from replicating harm.

How Policing Skills Made Me Safer, Smarter, and Ethical

Years in law enforcement and the military taught me to read people, assess risk, and trust my instincts. These skills are invaluable in sex work. When someone misrepresents themselves, oversteps boundaries, or exhibits red flags, I notice immediately. My background gives me tools for situational awareness, empathy tempered by caution, and advocating for others when they can’t advocate for themselves.

It also taught me the importance of documentation. In policing, notes and records protect both the victim and the officer. In sex work, documentation of consent protects both the creator and the collaborator. Ethics and safety are intertwined; one cannot exist without the other.

Calling Out the Hypocrisy: Society, Porn, and Policing

Let’s be honest: society is obsessed with policing sex while ignoring sexual violence. People clutch their pearls about adult content yet consume it secretly. They debate morality while failing to implement trauma-informed practices in law enforcement, healthcare, and education. And when it comes to sex workers, public perception oscillates between moral panic and voyeuristic fascination.

The same society that would shame a consensual OnlyFans creator is often the one that blames a rape survivor for what happened to them. And here’s the kicker: those who fail survivors are often the same ones policing morality—politicians. It’s absurd. And it’s why I speak out.

I refuse to let my work be complicit in that hypocrisy. Every piece of content I create is ethical, consensual, and transparent. Every post, interaction, and line of work carries a responsibility that I learned responding to violence on the front lines. I hold myself to that standard because I’ve seen the consequences when humans fail to respect boundaries, agency, and consent.

Boundaries, Consent, and Survivor Awareness in Practice

Some people assume that sex work and trauma awareness are incompatible. They are not. In fact, being aware of sexual violence makes me a better sex worker. I practice:

• Informed consent: no scene begins without clear communication

• Negotiated boundaries: limits are respected, not challenged

• Trauma sensitivity: I avoid content that could mimic real trauma or cause distress

• Ethical storytelling: even fictional scenarios are handled responsibly

The ethical lessons inform every choice I make in my military and law enforcement career. I understand how fragile trust can be and treat it with reverence in my work.

Advocacy: Creating a Safer Culture in Adult Work

Being a sex worker doesn’t just mean creating content; it means advocating for ethical standards industry-wide. I encourage transparency with audiences and challenge harmful trends. I call out unsafe practices, highlight consent, and emphasize the humanity behind every decision.

You might read this and think it’s extreme, but it’s grounded in the reality I’ve seen. When you’ve responded to survivors and witnessed betrayal and institutional failure, you cannot ignore the importance of ethics, boundaries, and accountability. In sex work, these aren’t optional—they are fundamental to protecting all those involved.

From Trauma Awareness to Empowerment

The most profound lesson my policing career taught me is this: agency matters. Giving someone the power to choose is not just ethical—it’s life-changing. Every survivor I met deserved agency. Every collaborator I work with deserves agency. And I deserve agency over my own career and sexuality.

Transitioning from law enforcement to sex work was not a retreat from trauma; it was a conscious, deliberate choice to create work on my own terms, grounded in consent, ethics, and empowerment. I reclaimed a space that allows me to honor boundaries, celebrate autonomy, and challenge hypocrisy.

Conclusion: Ethical Eroticism as a Form of Advocacy

If there’s one thing I want you to take away from this, it’s this: consent, ethics, and boundaries are vital to sex in relationships, recreation, and career. My journey from the badge to the camera taught me that ethical sexual expression is not just a personal choice—it’s a personal and professional statement. It says no to exploitation, no to moral hypocrisy, and yes to human dignity.

I am a sex worker. I am trauma-informed but not trauma-defined. I create ethically, boldly, and unapologetically. And I do it with the classes I learned as a police officer taught me the stakes of failing to respect consent, boundaries, and agency.

To survivors, fellow creators, and anyone navigating a world full of contradictions: you have the right to choose, the right to say no, and the right to create safely and ethically. And if society doesn’t like it, that’s their problem—not yours. Play and love safely, ethically, and consensually.

--- About the Author---

Nick Zwei is a former US Army Military Police and police Officer. He holds a B.S. in Communication, a B.A. in Political Science, an A.A.S. in Law Enforcement, and is certified in Crisis Intervention Team. Nick Zwei has produced content for OnlyFans and Pornhub in addition to writing erotica stories published on Amazon.