Out on Friday night, I was stood with a male friend, who for medical reasons was not in a fit state to get in any fight for me, but maybe naively, it didn't even occur that he might need to. Neither of us look for or enjoy conflict.

We were stood together minding our own, obviously a couple, when a drunk slides along the bar towards us. I gave him an unapproving look, as I didn't want his attention.

He comes over and grabs at my crotch and I tell him not to <removed> touch me like that again. I was shocked and upset and felt vulnerable. We were right in front of the bar, but bar staff didnt appear to take any notice.

He assaulted me again, quite unforgivingly, so I pushed him and tried to slap him and ended up in a struggle. Eventually bouncers pulled him off me.

A lady came and asked me if I was ok and said she'd seen how he'd kind of pinned me back etc and said he'd be thrown out... I thought at the time she worked there, and I was grateful for her concern.

They asked us to move, so I headed right away from the door, so if they told him to leave, he didn't have to pass us, I was dragging my friend and wondered why he was resisting so I looked back and the bouncers were not just asking us to move away, they were escorting US out!

I couldn't believe it! They weren't even willing to discuss it.

Bearing in mind how drunk he was, and that I was with a male friend, so it was obvious to him that I wasn't 'on the pull' or something, I would have thought that the bouncers should have been able to work out who was likely to be at fault.

I don't understand why they took the action they did, or what they stood to achieve???

The message this sends out to men who behave like that, is go ahead... enjoy, do your worst!

The message this sent me was that women going there who weren't willing to be sexually assaulted are not welcome and would be treated as such.

To be quite honest, I'm still mad and am thinking about checking out my rights with the Council Liscensing Board and the police as I don't think licensees who have this attitude should be allowed to operate as it isn't in the interests of public safety.

What I'd like to hear is whether this is how bouncers usually operate, or if mine was a one off unlucky experience, are there places who protect their female patrons more or less than others?

Sounds awful, I would have punched him very hard, hope you get over it. Maybe let people know which pub it is so it can be avoided in future if the bloke's a regular x

Sounds like you've been sexually assaulted and the club (which you have chosen not to name) has decided that in some way you were responsible for what has happened and has ejected you.

I'm a male but if I had been in your shoes - and sober - I'd have been on to the old bill pronto.

You've also reminded me why I avoid these awful places.

I wish you luck.

PS. Even if you were 'on the pull', that doesn't give anyone the right to touch you in the way this piece of vermin did.

If you decided you wanted to take this further then the venue would more than likely have CCTV pointed at the bar area. Any form of sexual assault would be recorded and could be used as evidence. The police have the right to request this recording. Don't leave it too long though, venues don't tend to keep recordings for very long.

Hmm, thanks for the advice, though I dont know I want to have my family's Christmas overshadowed by reporting it just now.

See http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=530056 for the club's response... not exactly reassuring!

To be quite honest, I'm still mad and am thinking about checking out my rights with the Council Liscensing Board and the police as I don't think licensees who have this attitude should be allowed to operate as it isn't in the interests of public safety.

What I'd like to hear is whether this is how bouncers usually operate, or if mine was a one off unlucky experience, are there places who protect their female patrons more or less than others?

I am a member of the Licensing Board.

You should make a complaint to the police about being sexually assaulted.

The police should investigate including looking at any relevant cctv coverage, which may help identify the alleged assailant and may lead to charges being preferred.

If the police have any concerns about the operation of this establishment, particularly if they have cumulative evidence that they may not be meeting the four core licensing objectives, then they can request that the Licensing Board review the license.

If you decided you wanted to take this further then the venue would more than likely have CCTV pointed at the bar area. Any form of sexual assault would be recorded and could be used as evidence. The police have the right to request this recording. Don't leave it too long though, venues don't tend to keep recordings for very long.

It is almost certainly the case that the Licensing Board has made a condition of this establishment's license that they have cctv cameras focussed on the bar area, and that the cctv images are of a resolution which complies with police evidential standards, and that all such images must be retained for a minimum of 28 days.

What I'd like to hear is whether this is how bouncers usually operate, or if mine was a one off unlucky experience, are there places who protect their female patrons more or less than others?

a bouncers job is to break up fights and take anyone involved in any trouble out the door because once your out the club/pub you are no longer there problem :|

Hmm, thanks for the advice, though I dont know I want to have my family's Christmas overshadowed by reporting it just now.

See http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=530056 for the club's response... not exactly reassuring!

Casbah has always been an absolute hellhole.

I was once walking passed it when a vicious fight came out of it and on to the street, a poor guy was getting stamped on and kicked like a football. The bouncers just watched and turned a blind eye as it didn't concern them any more. I made a comment comparing them to a chocolate fire-guard and they chased me down the road.

On the other side of things, was having a drink outside Bar 23 and a fight started over the Plaza area... The doorman went straight over to split them up even though it had nothing to do with them or the bar.

Thanks for the advice, I have an action plan, and a new bar to try! :)

Thanks for the advice, I have an action plan, and a new bar to try! :)

Good luck samstyles,The Casbah has become a <removed>hole and i would have thought the H.S.E would have a field day in there,especially now the Grosvenhor is closed. Shame 4/5 years ago it was a top nite out.

Welcome to the real world. This has been going on for years but been a woman you would proberly not have been "unfairly" treated by doormen before. Why do you think some nightclub doormen let known drug dealers / gangster types in for free at most clubs and when their is a big fight they normely throw the 1/2/3 people who are on the receiving end of the beating out of the club! Cos its easier to not have to deal with the bigger more aggresive group.

Im sorry but if your looking for justice, nightclubs are the wrong place. Also, I noticed Casbah now employs the notorius "Eric" who is not exactly known for his rationality.

Despite being from Sheffield born and bred, because of work, I socialise in nightclubs more often in Birmingham, and the bouncers there have a totally different attitude. One once walked me back to my hotel because a bloke had been a nuisance outside where he worked, and I hadn't even been in that club, I was just on my way home from dinner at a restaurant with colleagues.
They are polite and helpful, and dont stand for any one being given hassle, maybe as a result of their better attitude, Birmingham is busy most nights of the week, where as Sheffield is dead from Sunday to Thursday.
Sheffield's clubs and pubs could learn from that I think.

Despite being from Sheffield born and bred, because of work, I socialise in nightclubs more often in Birmingham, and the bouncers there have a totally different attitude. One once walked me back to my hotel because a bloke had been a nuisance outside where he worked, and I hadn't even been in that club, I was just on my way home from dinner at a restaurant with colleagues.
They are polite and helpful, and dont stand for any one being given hassle, maybe as a result of their better attitude, Birmingham is busy most nights of the week, where as Sheffield is dead from Sunday to Thursday.
Sheffield's clubs and pubs could learn from that I think.

Sam, I appreciate you had a bad experience with that particular establishment's door staff and shame on them for it I say, but please don't generalise about the quality doorstaff all throughout the city. As with all professions there will be some cowboys but there are also some fantastic doorstaff out there in Sheffield, in particular the staff that work our doors at West St Live currently. I can't praise our door team's professional attitude and duty of care to our customers enough. They do an amazing job and are a pleasure to work with.

I was out in Leeds one time. Bouncers were ejecting a man who was a bit drunk and who had accidentally spilt a drink over someone. Appropriately he was being removed. Rather less appropriately, at the top of the stairs one bouncer nodded to the other, and suddenly hit the guy in the side of the head. This was as they were leaving, without any preceeding struggle or scuffle. The blow knocked him down the first flight of stairs and you could clearly hear his head hit the floor at the bottom. They jumped on him, rolled him down the next flight of stairs and threw him out. They then stood outside laughing at him and making fun of his friends.
I wandered out afterwards, steering clear until his friends had helped him round the corner, then being a doctor thought I should wait with him till an ambulance arrived (he'd keeled over round the corner, and from blow to head and alcohol together was difficult to wake up at all).
After the ambulance left, I walked away in the opposite direction from the club, leaving my details with the blokes friends as a witness.
He called me two days later when leaving hospital to thank me. The police had visited but were taking no action, not least because the cctv had mysteriously not captured any footage of the incident at all.
Next week I returned to club (reasons for not just boycotting it). I was taken aside by the manager, and threatened with permanet exclusion for 'inflaming the situation' (recall bouncers laughing and making fun of the guys friends even after he was thrown out, rather than just taking themselves out of hte situation by returning inside). I was told that no punch had been thrown. On assuring the manager I'd seen the punch as it occurred right in front of me I was told they'd reviewed the cctv and no punch was thrown, and that if I was calling him a lyer I'd definitely be banned.
Professional door staff do a good job, but unfortuantely there are some that are not professional and just enjoy a good ruck. Those more brain dead types probably just don't get sexual harassment as an issue. Not sure what to do about it, the reply you reference makes it clear that the bar will just go into full denial mode in the same way I found, and unless you've got a variety of witnesses it's difficult to take it further. If the witnesses are all friends who no doubt will have had a drink, that will be presented as unreliable, whether that's fair or not. I guess reporting it to the police might lead to a visit that would casue the venue to be a bit more cautious in the future, and encourage them to be on good behaviour. And I guess the police would get the message if there were a number of complaints about the same place. Doesn't necessarily help you though. :rant:

Sam, I appreciate you had a bad experience with that particular establishment's door staff and shame on them for it I say, but please don't generalise about the quality doorstaff all throughout the city. As with all professions there will be some cowboys but there are also some fantastic doorstaff out there in Sheffield, in particular the staff that work our doors at West St Live currently. I can't praise our door team's professional attitude and duty of care to our customers enough. They do an amazing job and are a pleasure to work with.

Point taken, but I have been out in Sheffield more than just this once, and West St Live seems ok, but I still find that the ones I meet in Brum seem to have an attitude of being there as much to help as to control, where as doorstaff here seem to concentrate on being there only to put off and deal with trouble.

Sam, I appreciate you had a bad experience with that particular establishment's door staff and shame on them for it I say, but please don't generalise about the quality doorstaff all throughout the city. As with all professions there will be some cowboys but there are also some fantastic doorstaff out there in Sheffield, in particular the staff that work our doors at West St Live currently. I can't praise our door team's professional attitude and duty of care to our customers enough. They do an amazing job and are a pleasure to work with.


I agree, they have always seemed really sound there

Casbah has always been an absolute hellhole.

I was once walking passed it when a vicious fight came out of it and on to the street, a poor guy was getting stamped on and kicked like a football. The bouncers just watched and turned a blind eye as it didn't concern them any more. I made a comment comparing them to a chocolate fire-guard and they chased me down the road.

On the other side of things, was having a drink outside Bar 23 and a fight started over the Plaza area... The doorman went straight over to split them up even though it had nothing to do with them or the bar.

I have worked security for 5 years and have worked almost in every bar/club in the city centre. Splitting fights outside the venues is not a doormans job for one simple reason - if police gets involved and anyone points a finger at a doorman - we have got more chances to be convicted of an assault than general public.

Once I was walking back home after finishing work in Ice Bar and came across 2 lads pestering a girl. She was fighting them off with her shoes. I ran up to them and stood between the girl and the lads (who with one slap could be put on their backsides). One of them started being clever so I got him in a headlock. Randomly a riot van pulled up from no where and 9 coppers came out and DESPITE the girl saying they have started on her and I defended her I GOT ARRESTED for ASSAULT!!! :loopy:

POLICE DO NOT LIKE BOUNCERS - CAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE THE ****** TO DO WHAT WE DO, and whoever worked in really rough places on the doors will agree with me 100%! :hihi:

I wish to associate myself and my colleagues with these comments regarding the Police. I am not a Police hater or knocker but recent experience shows me that the police have become so inward looking they have forgotten who their friends are. Some years ago I was in Doncaster and came across a young Police officer being violently assaulted by a gang. i intervened stood and fought alongside the bobby until help arrived. i received an award and thanks from the stand i took. I now work in the security industry and encounter violence regalrly. I act within the law and in the intersts of the customers and the public. My recent experiences with the police lead me to believe that they are nieve, arrogant and completely devoid of common sense. I have worked security for 5 years and have worked almost in every bar/club in the city centre. Splitting fights outside the venues is not a doormans job for one simple reason - if police gets involved and anyone points a finger at a doorman - we have got more chances to be convicted of an assault than general public.

Once I was walking back home after finishing work in Ice Bar and came across 2 lads pestering a girl. She was fighting them off with her shoes. I ran up to them and stood between the girl and the lads (who with one slap could be put on their backsides). One of them started being clever so I got him in a headlock. Randomly a riot van pulled up from no where and 9 coppers came out and DESPITE the girl saying they have started on her and I defended her I GOT ARRESTED for ASSAULT!!! :loopy:

POLICE DO NOT LIKE BOUNCERS - CAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE THE ****** TO DO WHAT WE DO, and whoever worked in really rough places on the doors will agree with me 100%! :hihi:

Most doorstaff do a really good job, the police should work more in conjunction with them. Bad doorstaff get found out eventually because none of the good ones will work with them.