A popular hot spot in Toronto to grab drinks and let off some steam is facing serious backlash.
Gavin MacMillan, an owner of College Street Bar, and Carasco Enzo Dejesus, an employee, are accused of giving a 24-year-old patron illegal drugs, booze, forcibly confining, and sexually assaulting her earlier this month.
A petition is now circulating with a list of five recommendations that must be met within 21 days or else demonstrations will be held every night outside the bar until they are.
People are also being encouraged to boycott the business.
Viktoria Bell is the Co-founder of the Sexual Assault Action Coalition and one of the people behind the petition. "The five recommendations are basically ensuring accountability to the public and transparency to the public about anti-harassment and anti-violence protocol policies."
She says patrons need to know the establishments they go to are safe.
None of the recommendations ask for the permanent closure of the bar. "We also have to remember there are also employees that had nothing to do with this and those are innocent workers that don't deserve to have their jobs lost. I think it's very important, as well, that shutting it down is a minute response to a bigger problem."
Bell is well aware these are allegations, at this point, but...
"Why doesn't this establishment already have anti-harassment and anti-violence policies and procedures? Why aren't their staff already trained? Why aren't the owners already trained and uphold human dignity and human value? Although, yes, potentially, depending on the court outcome, these men may be let of the charges but we believe her. We stand in solidarity in with her. I think the bigger picture is that why aren't these procedures and protocols already in place? Why do we have to start a petition to get them to be transparent and safe to the general public?"
A demonstration is planned for 8 p.m. on Friday outside the bar in the College Street and Manning Avenue area. "We're hoping to have an opportunity to reach out to staff and let them know this isn't an attack on them and that they are supported, as well. We just want to ensure they have the right training so they can stay safe, themselves."
Bell says the coalition contacted the provincial minister of Labour yesterday. "When things like this happen, I think, it's really important to act immediately and act with intent. So, us calling Kevin Flynn to support this and to ensure that this bar, if it remains open, is a safe bar with transparent policies for the public. This isn't an attack; it's a welcoming invitation for him to be part of this community collective that is trying to create safe spaces. We haven't heard from him, yet, but we're very much looking forward to connecting with him and working with him to ensure that it becomes a safe space."
Bill 132 is the Sexual Violence and Harassment Action Plan Act and it does have protocols and procedures that all establishments, employees, and employers must follow. "Who ensures that these are upheld? Currently, nobody. That's the problem." adds Bell.
Bell, herself, is a sexual assault survivor. She started the Sexual Assault Action Coalition after being attacked last October and launched the Dandelion Project. "If a bar or establishment agrees to be part of the Dandelion Project they'll receive training, they'll receive a booklet that will help them with procedures and protocols, they'll put up their anti-violence and anti-harassment policies and procedures on their website, and they will get a dandelion sticker to put in their window. This will let patrons know this is a place with zero tolerance; this is a place that if something is happening they have protocols to get you to a safe space and ensure other people and employees are safe, as well."
Ten establishments in Toronto have already agreed to participate in the Dandelion Project.
College Street Bar has yet to respond to a request for comment.