Supporters of a young woman who filmed her sexual assault in an Atlanta nightclub are demanding justice.
The victim identified as Jasmine Eiland was allegedly drugged and raped by an Opera Nightclub patron last weekend. According to WSBTV, the victim was celebrating her birthday when her livestream picked up the assault as it happened in real time. Her screams and pleas for help could be heard in the video, but no one around her came to fend off the perpetrator seen in the video.
Additional footage from that night showed the victim being carried to a back room and further assaulted.
Atlanta police received calls from patrons who reportedly saw the video posted on Facebook early Saturday morning.
The man has been identified, but police are not releasing his name while an investigation is underway. Eiland, who is now in St.Louis, reportedly told authorities the man spiked her drink and assaulted her on the dance floor.
The Atlanta Journal-Consitution reports the video was removed from Facebook, and the nightclub is assisting police with their investigation.
Throughout the week, protesters have stormed the establishment with signs in tow demanding answers. Roughly 36 women protested outside the club Wednesday night in a rally organized by Sabrina Peterson. Many of the women in attendance place blame on the club for not protecting its female patrons from such incidents.
“I feel that Opera has a responsibility to all of the patrons of their establishment," protester Goldyn P. Smith told Rolling Out. "There needs to be more than enough security, and there need to be resources inside of the venue that will allow anyone who has been victimized to come forward and to report the incident. I feel that they not only have a duty to the patrons but also to the city of Atlanta and all of their customers.”
An online campaign spearheaded by mostly Black women is also demanding the club and man at the center be held accountable. The hashtag #JasmineEiland started trending as the footage from last weekend surfaced.
TW: Rape and Drugging#JasmineEiland was drugged and raped in the middle of the Opera Nightclub dance floor . No one helped her. They LITERALLY have the evidence FILMED and people are STILL shaming this black woman after being drugged and raped. P.s. STOP SHARING THE VIDEO pic.twitter.com/XSzEJS8gm3
— TheSafePlace (@ItsTheSafePlace) January 21, 2019
The fact that there’s a sick ass video of some girl getting raped in Opera nightclub yesterday, asking for help, saying no, and people STILL aren’t believing her. I’m literally going to vomit I feel so sick. People are disgusting.
— Ash (@ashleygoldston1) January 21, 2019
I hope that whole fucking building burns to the ground, Opera Nightclub. #JusticeForJasmineEiland
— ???????? (@blaqbuttafli77) January 21, 2019
#JasmineEiland was drugged and raped while she was streaming on Facebook Live at a night club in Atlanta. She was crying and saying help me and NO repeatedly. Out of Respect I will not share the video. But here is a picture of the man that raped her. #JusticeForJasmine
pic.twitter.com/ozjhC8nVov— Bebe Rexha (@BebeRexha) January 21, 2019
#JasmineEiland Speaks out#JusticeForJasmineEiland
#MeTooMovement
#JusticeForJasmineEiland Accuser speaks out! FULL AUDIO LINK IN BIO pic.twitter.com/10aFTDXgqh— QueenCoCoaMocha????????☕ (@queencocoamocha) January 22, 2019
Meanwhile, Eiland is awaiting the test results of a rape kit. The victim hired renowned attorney Chris Stewart to seek legal action. Stewart represented Walter Scott's family and the family of Alton Sterling after police killed the men.
“How is somebody sexually assaulted in a club right in front of anyone?" he asked the AJC Wednesday. "Security will kick you out if you’re too drunk. “How did security not walk up to her and not check on her?”
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