Women have traditionally seen gay bars as a safe space where they can enjoy themselves without unwanted attention from straight men.
But two women claim they were anything but safe at The Abbey, one of the most famous gay bars in America: The ladies—one straight, one lesbian—say they were surreptitiously roofied and raped by staffers at the West Hollywood mainstay.
One patron, a lesbian, was at the bar in November 2011 when, after an argument with her girlfriend, she ordered a drink at the bar. She says the drink was laced with a date-rape drug by a busboy, who took her outside and sexually violated her.
In a separate incident, another female Abbey patron claims she was also drugged and raped by an undocumented worker back in April 2011. She claims the employee took her to his car across the street and raped her.
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The women, who say bar management should have kept better track of the staff, have both filed suit and are seeking $10 million each in damages.
h/t: Joe. My. God
yaoming
2011? Isn’t it 2013 now?
Cam
Just because it’s a gay bar doesn’t mean that busboys etc… are gay. Bars and Restaurants can’t discriminate, if everybody working there was gay they would probably be sued.
DarkZephyr
@Cam: true enough. It’s too bad the rapists themselves aren’t the ones being punished.
ryguy86
@DarkZephyr: I would imagine that this case has no validity without the people who actually did the assault. This case sounds like she said-she said.
Caleb in SC
I cannot believe that this is a true case of rape when the alleged victims bring a civil suit, but never swore a warrant out on the alleged rapists. It is true that a lot of rape victims do not come forward because they do not want to be victimized again on the stand during a criminal trial. Nevertheless, that same concern holds true for cvil trials, where the Rules of Evidence are a little more relaxed. Not sure that to think of this story.
MuscleModelBlog.com
@Caleb in SC:
I’m not sure what to think either. A long time has passed since the alleged assaults, and it does seem strange that such events would take place at a gay bar. However, not all employees at gay bars are gay…and it would be a good place to get unsuspecting victims, I suppose…so I’m not sure what to think as well.
iluvcakes
Nothing relieves the pain and stress of rape like 10 million dollars :/
I don’t see why they are holding the business responsible as if they knew before hand.
comus
Don’t know the merits of the case, but it’s a cruel irony to see The Abbey tout its “1991” founding. It was a chill, mellow place then, with a great mix. Even without my having aged out of the scene, it’s now a loud, over-priced vulgar mess. West Hollywood doesn’t need to be New Orleans.
Globaltraveler
RUMOR has it (….and it’s being irresponsibly repeated by me….) that the Abby intentionally hires hot straight bartenders. Hot for the obvious reasons, and straight since they’re less likely to waste time flirting with the clientele or giving them free drinks.
I will say that every time I’ve been to the Abby, the bartenders have been extremely handsome, and none of them came on to me….so they must be straight….right?….I mean if they were gay, then surely they would have not been able to resist me….
balehead
All gay bars hire hawt staright dudes to attract the gays….no news here…
Spike
WHAT?!!? Lesbian goes into a gay bar, claims she is given a date rape drug, taken across the street and raped by undocumented bar employee, sues bar owned by very successful and male, and Gloria Allred ISN’T REPRESENTING THE ACCUSER?
Seriously, WTF? Am I the only one that sees something seriously doesn’t fit here???
If Gloria Allred didn’t take this case, there is NO evidence to so much as suggest the claims are true.
balehead
So true if Gloria isn’t interested…Where’s that article on women in gay bars again?…
hf2hvit
Two women get raped while patronizing a gay bar…talk about having a golden pussy…
Freddie27
Yeah, hahahaha, rape is so funny, lol! Jeez, the callousness of the comments about a potentially life-ruining act are shocking.