In court documents, a former bartender named Jane Doe is suing Soho House, alleging that the private club failed to protect her after she reported sexual harassment and was subsequently sexually assaulted by a supervisor.
The woman was working as a bartender at a downtown Soho Warehouse restaurant when a then-supervisor allegedly drugged and raped her after a work-related outing, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday in downtown Los Angeles court.
In September, the alleged victim drank alcohol with co-workers and supervisors, including the defendants named in the lawsuit, the lawsuit states.
She reported feeling disoriented and later lost consciousness and woke up naked in his apartment. She was left paralyzed and speechless as he “repeatedly raped her lifeless body,” documents state.
The former bartender said she reported the incident to management and eventually to human resources. The lawsuit accuses management of dismissing her report and says human resources told her the complaint was unsubstantiated.
She claims the supervisor was not disciplined and she was forced to continue working with him, ultimately resigning earlier this month.
“They took no action because she didn’t report it to the police,” said Neama Rahmani, the plaintiff’s attorney. “She did eventually submit the police record, but the person is still there and has not been disciplined.”
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed it is investigating the matter.
A Soho House spokesperson told Eyewitness News in a statement that the company takes all allegations of misconduct very seriously, adding: “…while this alleged incident did not occur on Soho House premises or during working hours, we initiated a formal internal investigation and followed our strict company policies. Based on our findings, decisive and appropriate action was taken. We remain committed to maintaining a safe and respectful work environment for all team members.”
The lawsuit is seeking a jury trial.
