Khaberni - A stripper turned lawyer accused five nightclubs in the state of New York and their managers of trafficking her, and allowing customers to rape and beat her.
And said Christine DeMaria to the "New York Post": "When I was dancing, I saw clubs taking money to ignore what was happening to me and other dancers," explaining the brutal behavior she was allegedly subjected to while working in two VIP lounges in Manhattan.
DeMaria (37 years old) added: "I was bitten above my left breast so hard that it bled. I was sexually assaulted by customers while I was on stage. A man choked me with a belt around my neck, then raped me against a wall. I was fired from work for reporting a rape incident."
DeMaria grew up in New Jersey, and mentioned that she was trafficked at the age of fifteen to Arizona by an elderly man who lured her. By 2014, she was working as a show dancer.
She explained: "I was fired from my job for reporting a rape at a club, and as I was being fired, the manager told me: 'You are a stripper. You asked for it'.. I definitely did not ask to be raped."
DeMaria reported that customers regularly slapped her on the buttocks and hit her so hard that her skin turned red.
She continued: "In the world of striptease clubs, dancers are often forced to choose between accepting sexual assault or leaving without means to support themselves.. I repeatedly saw club owners and managers completely ignoring human lives."
DeMaria, who worked at Sapphire 60 in the Upper East Side, is seeking $10 million in compensation from the company for charges including "rape, sexual assault, sexual violation, forced touching, physical assault, sex trafficking, and illegal detention," according to her lawsuit filed in the Supreme Court in Manhattan.
DeMaria told the "New York Post": "I saw women being punished for refusing sexual practices and for reporting sexual assaults, while the managers benefited from our suffering and sold access to our bodies without our knowledge."
She continued: "When I was dancing, I didn't have the resources, knowledge, or support to achieve justice. My law school education changed that. Now, I intend to hold these clubs accountable for exploiting women in violation of the law," since she permanently left her job as a dancer in 2021, and decided to study law instead, enrolling in a law school in New York.
While studying law, DeMaria launched a nonprofit organization called "Switch," or "Compassion House for Sex Workers in Transition," aimed at providing dancers with "education, career counseling, and a real way out if they want it."
In 2023, DeMaria was honored with the David Prize from the Walton Family Foundation, which awards $200,000 annually to five New York "dreamers." According to the prize profile online: "In an industry that puts a price on people, Christine envisions a New York where instead people could be priceless." She graduated from law school in June and passed the state bar exam one month later.
DeMaria also filed another lawsuit against Vivid Cabaret on West 37th Street, and Hoops Cabaret on West 33rd Street, which belong to the same owner, demanding $15 million, with charges including rape, sex trafficking, sexual assault, forced touching, and physical assault.
She also filed a lawsuit against Club Gossip in Long Island, with charges including sexual harassment and sex discrimination among others, demanding $2.5 million in compensation, according to court records.
The cases are still under consideration. Lawyers for Vivid, Hoops, and Gossip clubs have not responded to requests for comments.
Four former dancers joined DeMaria's case against Sapphire, confirming in court papers that they too suffered sexual violence "causing them physical and psychological damage."
The lawyer Megan Goddard, who represents DeMaria and five other women in the Supreme Court lawsuits in Manhattan, said: "Many striptease clubs act as if women who agree to dance there also consent to sexual assault or even rape.. Striptease club managers often ignore assaults and punish dancers who report them. The phrase (What did you expect?) is not a legal — nor humane — response to an employee reporting a rape incident at her workplace."
DeMaria hopes her lawsuits will lead to change: "I have devoted my career to defending strippers, sex workers, and human trafficking victims."
In response, Sapphire Club stated that it "takes such claims very seriously" and provides its employees with information on how to report any inappropriate behavior. The statement from the club said: "The first time Sapphire Club learned of Ms. DeMaria's allegations was when this lawsuit was filed, and the lawsuit itself does not include any details about what she claims happened ten years ago at the club. No additional information has been provided despite our request for it."
