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Boston had an actual speakeasy but its manager was just fired for allegedly sexually attacking women patrons
By adamg on Fri, 08/20/2021 - 4:17pm
WGBH reports on the now ex-manager of Offsuit, a literal hole in the wall that you had to know the code to enter owned by the better known Troquet on South in the Leather District. The place is closed now, due to his alleged actions.
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Comments
Yet Another...
The actions of the person in question, while reprehensible in their own right are unfortunately far too common in the hospitality industry, and by common I mean there have been similar reports from well established venues across the Boston area ranging from actual rape at Yellow Door Taqueria to racism at Longfellow Bar and I'm sure a near bottomless list of grievances that remain unreported in countless other venues. The darndest thing is that these allegations are all too quickly swept under the rug and the establishments continue to get packed up with diners ignorant to said allegations (or worse, aware and not caring) every single night. Sure in some of these cases the offending individuals are fired and employees of these establishments can't necessarily be indicative of the actions of the entire business but having worked in hospitality for well over a decade it is impossible, in my opinion, to hide this negative behavior from your peers. There is no way that the majority of these people's coworkers wouldn't be aware of their behavior. Rather they actively elect to take no action.
Will Offsuit re open? Doubtlessly. Will they take actual meaningful action to change the culture that allows this behavior to flourish? That's certainly yet to be determined, though I have my doubts.
People need jobs
So yeah they do look the other way when people in power do bad things. They have to pay bills/rent and put food on the table. News flash: This doesn't just happen in the hospitality industry.
The customers for the most part are unaware because they are out for a good meal or a good time drinking/dancing. Almost no one wants to vet the restaurant/bar/club they're visiting for mistreatment of employees or ideological purity of the ownership because that detracts from the experience. If that's the expectation then you might as well just stay at home.
The hospitality industry is notorious for this.
I worked in it as well. The general attitude towards victims of sexual harassment and abuse was “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”. I really hope things are changing.
Maybe because I'm older and
Maybe because I'm older and the natural way of life and aging happens, but the after hours clubs and underground packies of my 80s club days I went to with my girlfriends knew not to fuck with us. And we had high heels, big hair, club clothes, bilingual poison, and upbringing in the poorest neighborhoods to boot. Now I just don't know. Crazy shit now.
Sexual assault was not less prevalent then...
...just under reported and less talked about.