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Ever wonder what makes young, pretty, "good" girls pursue careers in porn?

So did Deborah Anderson, that's why she made a documentary and fine-art photography book on the subject. "Aroused" opens in select theaters Thursday and is available for download on iTunes. The book is available on Amazon.

Many of the 16 adult-film actresses featured in "Aroused" attended the film's premiere Wednesday night at the Landmark Theatre and hung around afterward to autograph the coffee-table book.

Anderson was inspired to explore these women's stories after casting a porn star in a photo shoot for a magazine. She was struck by the woman's warm personality and her stories of harsh treatment from the public despite contributing to a widely consumed product of a billion-dollar industry.

Porn stars are not failed actresses. They enjoy their work and see off-duty sex as having nothing to do with their day jobs. All have had sexually-transmitted diseases. Most shared concern for how others view their profession and worried whether it could impede future job or romantic prospects.

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Anderson said she hopes the book and film will spotlight the humanity of these women and the sensuality of their work.