Protest claims exploitation at Dunedin strip club

A former stripper took her protest and her pole to Dunedin streets yesterday.

About a dozen people gathered in the Octagon protesting against Dunedin’s Stilettos Revue Bar, saying it had an environment of harassment and intimidation.

Ex-Stiletto’s stripper Kitten Pasta said they wanted to get the word out that "shockingly, abuse is happening in a Dunedin strip club".

"The overall reason we are here is because of exploitative, sexual and predative behaviour from management."

Stilettos’ owner, when contacted, refused to comment.

In May, Dunedin strippers banded together with the Wellington-based group Fired-up Stilettos and held a strip show takeover at the Athenaeum Theatre in the Octagon, where people could get an "ethical lap dance" or a "guilt-free motorboat," to protest two strippers having their hours cut.

Ex-Stiletto’s stripper Kitten Pasta swings on a pole in the Octagon to protest against conditions...
Ex-Stiletto’s stripper Kitten Pasta swings on a pole in the Octagon to protest against conditions at Stilettos. Photo: Linda Robertson
"At our strip club takeover, management at Stilettos was forcing girls out into the Octagon to hand out $10 entry to Stilettos to try and compete with us, Ms Pasta said yesterday.

"It was not a profitable night for them, it was just done out of spite."

Ms Pasta was fired from Stilettos after the strip show takeover in May and was there to support the women still employed at the business.

"Some of the girls expressed interest, but were pretty much told they could not take part in any protest — they said they would support us from the sidelines.

"We want to get the word out to Stilettos that we’re not going to stay quiet.

laine.priestley@odt.co.nz

 

Advertisement