As most of you know I have a short time left before I graduate (May 3 or so depending when I finish all of my clinical rotation hours). So basically I'm running on fumes and dancing until the end of May/early June when I land a job hopefully.
I've been stuck at this upscale extras club in my area since December. There's literally no money anywhere in this town but this place has the lowest tip out and seemed to be moderately safe until recently.
The first thing that really struck me as unsafe when I started is that all of the dances are done in rooms with doors that close on the second floor. There are 20+ rooms down several dark hallways and one bouncer that peeks through a peep hole in the door every so often to see if you are OK. They clock you in a computer system when you start dancing so the DJ and bouncer knows who is in what rooms, but I always see them standing around, I've never once seen them peek in a peephole. There used to be panic buttons in the rooms but I was told when I started that they are broken. It's really dark, extremely loud, and not much foot traffic outside the dance areas. About half of the rooms (the more expensive ones) are in a hallway that is not visible from where the bouncer stands. I don't offer to do the more expensive rooms with customers (cause the fee goes to the bouncers) unless the guy is really laid back and I've danced for him before AND I know he's staying with me for an hour. The more expensive rooms are $10 and $25 (one time fee) whereas the cheap room is $5. So basically it's a perfect opportunity to be raped, beaten up, or worse and have the guy rob you and try to stroll out. If the bouncers noticed him leaving without you then they'd say something/tell valet not to give him his car but that's IF they noticed. It's really dark and they are often distracted with other dancers just coming up for a room. I've never had a serious incident but I think the set up gives the guys the idea that they can behave in a worse way to you or that extras are guaranteed, and it just makes me uneasy. I always have my knife in my purse right by me when I'm dancing, but I don't know how quickly I could get to it if I really needed it. I know a lot about Modern Army Combatives from my fiance though so I might be able to buy myself some time to get out of a room if shit went down from a quick elbow to the throat, etc. I recognize that there's not anything management can do except fix the panic buttons, but good luck getting them to front that kind of cash.
Moving on, there is a main stage with two poles in the center of the room, two satellite stages that are ground level with some "VIP" booths in the corners of the room (meaning you are eye level with customers and they are about two feet from you when you dance..no protection), a cage stage on the second floor next to the VIP bar (you walk up stairs onto it), and then a pole that is also ground level with customers in a room for bachelor parties. It's not a fully enclosed room but it's in the corner right next to the DJ booth, no bouncers can actually see into it from where they stand, and you are also about 1-2 feet from guys when you dance.
So anyway, when I was on one of the satellite stages next to a "VIP" booth this gangsta decided to slap my ass when I was UPSIDEDOWN DOING AN INVERT and he broke a blood vessel in my ass. I felt so unsafe and scared because you can't get away from them on those poles and the bouncer just yelled at him, they didn't even kick him out. They didn't even say shit til I went and told them cause they don't even pay attention.
Then in the bachelor party room you are literally surrounded by guys. No safe place to put your purse, and you can't see behind you obviously so it makes me scared dancing in there. We all know how rowdy the bachelor parties are and the rooms are usually pretty cramped.
Then last night customers were climbing into the cage on the second floor FOR OVER AN HOUR when girls were dancing and security didn't tell them to stop...luckily I wasn't one of the girls up there at the time.
Also, last night, these guys were sliding beer bottles (with beer still in them) across the stage (it's like a runway) to each other on opposite sides...when there are two girls dancing. Like literally 1 foot from the girl's shoes they're doing it. ON THE MAIN FLOOR. Security says nothing. I told a manager cause I had to go up next and they didn't even say anything to the guys...
Also, last night, we had to do a bachelor party. I saw FOUR people videotaping as I was walking to the stage for the show with the bachelor and told security. They stopped the videotaping. Then I saw more people videotaping and security said nothing until I started screaming and waving my arms wildly and they took their cameras. They told me I had to go up there anyway even though I saw all those people videotaping and they weren't even watching or I'd be fined.
Also, from the second floor people can videotape overlooking a balcony type thing on the stage and no one watches them, I'm positive I've been videotaped and not caught the person because of the set up.
I feel like my privacy is being violated. I don't want to sue them because court documents are public record and I don't want my name out there, also it's a big name club and I don't want to go up against them. But I also feel like my safety is being violated too. They built the dressing room over a sewer system so it always stinks like rottting shit down there too. I don't like going on stage for bachelor parties when guys videotape and they are understaffed and it's not secure at all. I feel so unsafe 24/7 it makes me sick not to mention the other problems.
If I quit there then I will not be able to support myself and my son, I only have a couple months left but I'm wondering how I can approach management about these concerns of mine? I want them to do something but they just write me off when I bring it up.
-Laurisa



Reply With Quote

Bookmarks