18-year-old says security staff ignored alert
that rape was in progress
DALLAS, June 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- An 18-year-old
woman has filed suit against a popular Dallas nightclub saying the club created the
very conditions that led to her sexual assault in a restroom there,
then did nothing to help her after her friend alerted security that
the attack was in progress.
According to the lawsuit, Club VIVO routinely admits 18-year-old
girls – who are below the legal drinking age of 21 – and serves
them alcohol, while at the same time allowing men to enter only if
they are at least 21 years old.
"They're basically creating an environment perfect for
predators," says Charla
Aldous of AldousWalker. "They allow these young
girls to come in, they pour alcohol into them and then they stand
by and do nothing when older men attack them."
For video of Ms. Aldous discussing the case click here.
The victim, identified as Jane
Doe in the filing, is an 18-year-old college student who
visited Club VIVO in December 2023.
Though she had an "X" on her hand – indicating she was too young to
drink – bartenders served her anyway and continued to serve her
even after she was intoxicated.
Then, at about 1:30 a.m., and in
full view of the club's security staff, a man dragged her upstairs
to the restroom and violently raped her. In the middle of the
attack, Jane sent a text message to a friend who was at the club,
telling her that she was being sexually assaulted. But when that
friend told security, they did nothing.
The woman has since reported the attack to the Dallas Police Department. The investigation is
ongoing.
The legal filing includes online comments from women who have
visited Club VIVO and chronicled the predatory behavior aimed at
18-year-old women. "It's full of underage kids and predators," one
woman writes, while another says, "… it's just a sketchy club for
young girls so be safe."
"This club is making significant amounts of money by fostering
an unsafe and threatening environment for young women, and they
will continue to profit from their negligent business practices
until someone puts a stop to it," says
attorney Eleanor
Aldous.
The case is Jane Doe v
Kevin Kristian 2612 et al., Cause No. CC-24-04482-A in
the Dallas County Court at Law No.
1.
The AldousWalker LLP law firm represents clients in civil
litigation and specializes in high-profile, high-stakes cases.
Learn more at http://www.aldouslaw.com.
Media Contact:
Mark
Annick
800.559.4534
mark@androvett.com
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SOURCE Aldous Walker LLP