Sign up for your FREE personalized newsletter featuring insights, trends, and news for America's Active Baby Boomers

Newsletter
New

Voyeurism? Nonconsentual Pornography?

Card image cap

A month ago, I (32yo F) was fired from my tattoo apprenticeship. I'm in TX. Here's the story:

After leaving late one night (1145p, shop closed at midnight) and not eating all day, another artist (older? M, 'the guy' hereafter) and I walked down the block to a bar that was still serving food. When we entered, he brought me a menu and a glass of dark beer from the bar. I accepted the beer since he'd already ordered it (and he's an alcoholic, so I figured it was natural for him) and thought I'd hang out since hubby and kids were all asleep anyway. Nothing on the menu sounded appetizing, so I didn't order food.

We chatted until after 1a that I remember. It was innocent, talking about life, art, tattooing, the apprenticeship. Kids. How lucky I was to have my husband. Completely innocent.

I had 3 beers and a whiskey & coke, all that he'd brought to me. I dont drink whiskey, but was being polite. He'd been drinking whiskey and coke all night. We'd both left our drinks unattended several times.

I don't remember leaving the bar. I don't remember walking back to the tattoo parlor. I don't remember having sex with him in the lobby. On camera. I have flashes, but that's it.

Husband (39M) walks in around 3a to the artist on me on the floor. I vaguely remember a figure yelling over the shoulder of the guy, but didn't recognize my husband. I remember thinking it was another artist at the shop walking in but, even then, it didn't feel real, like I couldn't process the significance and was just an onlooker with limited understanding. Neither of us stopped the act until hubby pulled him off of me. I got up and ran across an adjacent room to the bathroom. I pretty much stayed on the toilet until husband helped dress me and took me home. He says I passed out in the car. That when he opened the passenger door to get me out, I fell out onto my head/shoulder in the driveway in the cold, and he left me there for a while. After he got me inside, he said I was very drunk, but that I was behaving differently than I do when drunk. He said I was acting weird with lights and screens, like putting my hands up and watching them move around. Said I kept saying that nothing was real. He said in the bathtub, my head kept slipping below the water and I kept breathing the water in. He thinks I was drugged. I still don't believe that was the case; that I was that drunk.

I slept a few hours. The next day, as the shop was closing, the manager called me to report to the shop urgently. It occurred to me then that the artists have personal Ring cameras in their areas within the adjacent room that the lobby opens to, and which I crossed to use the restroom. Someone must have video recorded the incident.

I arrived and the female manager, a female artist, and my mentor were there waiting. My mentor had a pistol on his hip, open carrying (as a felon with prison time, which I'd not seen him do before). The female artist's Ring camera caught it all, apparently. Everyone there had watched the footage, and so had the owner (who was not present). They said that we were both equal participants, and that I was a liability. That as a female, I shouldn't have gone out with one of the guys, and that they don't condone drinking (which is a lie, but whatever). That my career as an artist can't handle this kind of hit, and that reputation and loyalty are everything. They couldn't keep me on. They said I was willing. I walked in. I took my own clothes off. I participated. They believe I was blackout drunk, but that I wouldn't have been walking or participating if drugged. My husband came with me and tried to tell them that he thought I was date-raped, but they shot him down hard. Said from the footage, it's not possible. They also argued that the guy wouldn't do that, which I agree with.

My mentor had me pack most of my things. He kept my 3 coil machines that my husband had bought me a decade ago, told me to leave them to partially repay what he'd invested in me.

I messaged the guy. We both apologized to one another. He says he doesn't remember anything after his 2nd drink (and I've seen him drink a pint of 196 proof moonshine and still function fine and recall the night). He also lost his job. I went to check on him a few days later and he'd blocked me on everything.

I was shattered after everythinf. Completely. Like, suicidal. My marriage. My budding career after leaving another field. Destroyed. The self hatred was all-consuming. And I already struggle with MDD and PTSD, so the mental health plummet was intense.

The owner reached out a few days later. He's known for being an extremely nice and caring person to a fault within the shop. Said he's done worse, so I thought he was just being nice and encouraging, but he quickly made it sexual. Said I always had a sensuality about me, that he'd always wanted to fuck. Said that from what he could see, I have a nice body, but the video didnt show much. Said he just wanted to get his dick sucked. That if hubby and I don't fix things, holler at him. The messages are downright creepy.

I played dumb as much as I could, but eventually deleted him on all socials and his number.

All 14 artists, many of whom I was close to, deleted or blocked me on everything, or outright refuse to speak to me. I haven't had the chance to defend myself, or speak to anyone, so I have no idea what was said to them.

Hubby and I are doing okay. Healing. I've interviewed for a college instructor position. Healing.

Anyway, it's a long story. I've shouldered all the blame, accepting accountability.

I'd like thoughts. I'm not sure what to think or feel, but someone told me they acted illegally by sharing pornographic footage without my consent. That because it was filmed after hours with no customers or other workers in the building by a personal camera, it would be considered reasonable to think I was in a private place (Not that I was thinking at all). That I suffered voyeurism, intimidation (mentor having me leave my machines while visibly carrying a gun out of character), distributing porn without consent, and sexual harassment.

Do I leave it alone? They're such a household name in this area that I feel they could and would absolutely destroy my name if I tried to protest anything that happened. I also feel like I deserve my treatment, so I'm not sure how to proceed.

Thoughts? Thanks.

Edit to add: pretty certain that hubby and I are the only ones who HAVEN'T seen the video.

submitted by /u/chromachimera
[link] [comments]


Recent