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Woman Discovers 'Rape Room' in Comic Book Store; Is Promptly Fired

Woman Discovers 'Rape Room' in Comic Book Store; Is Promptly FiredSExpand
Welp. Here's another depressing story about a woman who tried to speak up against workplace sexist bullshit.
On Tuesday, Bleeding Cool shared the story of Jennifer Williams, a writer and comic book fan who took a job at Harrison's Comics in Salem, Massachusetts. On her Twitter, Williams said she grew up loving comics and had always dreamed of working in a comic book store like Harrison's. Too bad she picked the comic book store where employees taunted her about a "rape room" on site.

Fyi, Harrison's Comics and Collectibles in Salem MA has a "rape room", dubbed such by the owner's friend Julian who is acting as manager.

On Sunday I spoke to the owner about my concerns. I was off yesterday. Today I was fired.

  1. @JenWilliams13 Is it ok to ask... What the hell IS the "rape room" exactly?

@The_T113 It's one of the back room used for storage. I have no idea why they call it a rape room. Didn't dare ask.

It took less than two days for her to be fired after complaining about an inappropriate rape joke at work. Big high five to all the detractors who tell women all they have to do is "report it" when someone harasses them at work. Through a series of tweets, Williams detailed more of what she experienced during the handful of days she worked at the store. Harrison's owner responded to Williams and her allegations:

Those who have know us for years must realize that we do not condone this behavior.

I was not even aware that she had been let go but according to others it was just that they feel she wouldn't work

I feel bad that she had to lash out this way. I have known her for many years and think of her as a friend.

A friend that perpetuates rape culture and fires employees w/out consulting you or someone who cares about the store and being professional.

  1. If anyone would like to hear my side of the story feel free to come talk to me in Salem today thru Saturday

@HARRISONSCOMICS Your side of the story is that you knew about the rape room and when I came to you, you brushed it off.

  1. If anyone would like to hear my side of the story feel free to come talk to me in Salem today thru Saturday

@HARRISONSCOMICS You said you didn't want to make waves and you were sure he was just joking.

I have no doubt that we don't know all of the specifics that went on between the store and Williams, but I think one pressing concern remains: WHY THE FUCK DO YOU CALL A ROOM IN YOUR COMIC BOOK STORE A "RAPE ROOM?" Joking around to a new employee that a storage room in your business is called a goddamn "rape room" is some seriously fucked up shit. Good to know that all the industry-wide sexism people complain about in comics goes all the way down to the micro-levels of the business. What is up with an industry that is supposedly so welcoming to disenfranchised men yet can't seem to offer the same sanctuary for women?
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To everyone saying it is just a joke: That's the point.
If you don't understand yet that rape is not a joking matter then, and I mean this politely as possible, sod off. Go. Leave. Don't come back until you have expanded your views, mind and empathy.
Rape is NOT a joking matter. It is never 'just a joke'. Ever.
Just a joke... a 'joke' isn't something you say because it's rebellious/weird/quirky to you. A joke is funny. A joke is something that makes you and other people laugh. A joke's entire purpose is to creature humor.
Does 'rape room' make people laugh? No? Are you just saying it because it seems edgy and that's fun? Then it's not a fucking joke. It's just a shitty thing you feel like doing.
Oh, man, don't you love it when you can shoot the shit and joke with your coworkers? I used to have a group of coworkers who sat around with me all day making jokes about genitalia and sex and vibrators that play Christmas music. Those were the days! Now most of my coworkers are religious and I have to watch what I say around them. I can't even swear in front of most of them. I'm going to call up HR and get all my new coworkers fired. They're gonna be like, "Waaaaahhh, I didn't deserve to get fired, and ideally it would have been nice to feel comfortable at work." But their problems are trivial compared to my god-given right to make all the dick jokes at my workplace! Right? Right?
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