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A cocktail waitress at Lower East Side club, BLVD, was raped in a backstage VIP room by two men on Saturday night. The two men, one Long Island resident with an arrest record (though not for violent crime) and the other from NJ, allegedly cornered the waitress, who tried to leave but then fell unsconscious. One of BLVD's security guards was able to apprehend a suspect after BLVD employees found the victim naked and unconscious. The Post also notes that the waitress might have been drugged. The VIP room where the attack took place is reserved for the musicians who perform there (Saturday night's performer was Norah Jones) and friends of the owners; police are trying to figure out how the men were able to get access to the room. The men were arraigned for first degree rape and first degree assault.
This is terrible. It's also curious, since it does seem like these clubs have a lot of bouncers and people staffed to make sure people aren't allowed into VIP areas. We hope people, especially women, will stick to bigger groups (which is hard if you're working at a club, but perhaps try to work with others around?) when out and about and try to remain alert. Also, self-defense classes are not a bad idea.
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It's awful that women have to think about these things (like not taking a cab home alone while drunk, per an older Gothamist post).
Your heart's in the right place, Jen, to offer suggestions for the future. But for a waitress, or any woman, to successfully use self-defence-class techniques against *two* men in an isolated area of a dark, noisy nightclub sounds damn near impossible. It's not up to a worker to surround herself with security and other workers while on the job, it's up to management.
i was actually at BLVD last night for the Swindle Magazine launch party- i had never been there before, and it struck me as a gigantic, well-maintained kind of place. Of course, i hate clubs, so i will likely never go back.
i witnessed two bouncers from the club beat a cab driver, punching him and showering him with racial epithets. one of them was arrested when the cabbie pressed charges. nice place.
i was at the Swindle party at BLVD last night also, and noticed tons of security. posted some info CityRag.com
didn't know about the rape until I saw Gothamist this morn, very messed up stuff.
I'm a guy and I carry a knife at all times.
Jen is right on about the odds. Still, Gothamist has a good idea about gals learning self defense. It is something that has numerous benefits.
So, how about it G? An in depth look at self defense training for women in NYC. TIA!
http://site.kayzer.net/hiltov/rapesex/russian/boy.html auditoriumsquintedthan
http://www.crossspot.net/zaeblo/rapemovies/bisex/stories.html backfearsoftening
You can't be 77064 serious?!?