A media-firestorm surrounded the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center in July following an exclusive report from yc.news after approximately two-dozen men and women came forward alleging they were drugged at the venue and subsequently sexually assaulted after leaving.
Following the online outrage and revenue hit, Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center filed for bankruptcy, according to a local news source, TheBurg.
yc.news broke the story on July 20, 2018, after receiving several news tips when a woman alleged the club handed her over to her rapist, knowing she was drugged or intoxicated.
TheBurg stated the “sensational article from yc.news” ignited a social media firestorm, noting the firestorm cost the venue approximately $200,000 in revenue loss. “We were operating on cash flow, and our cash flow was severly impacted,” Traynor told TheBurg, stating he plans to file a lawsuit against at-least a dozen people.
Immediately following the initial revelation, many more men and women reached out to our newsroom stating that they too had a similar experience at the club – causing a social media firestorm that outraged the community.
“It’s a drug infested rape den!” one young woman told yc.news, who spoke only under anonymity, told yc.news.
“I was a victim. I thought I was going to die,” a fifth girl who alleges she too was victimized at the venue. “One of the scariest experiences of my life.”
Following the two exclusive news reports, John Traynor, owner and operator of the Harrisburg Midtown Arts Center announced the venue would offer patrons ‘date rape drug test strips with each purchase.
“Patrons with positive strips are requested to turn the drink over immediately to the bartender and explain the exact situation that occurred,” the venue wrote in an online statement. “[For example], if a stranger bought your drink and it tests positive, it will allow us to take proactive measures against the perpetrator.”
The venue insisted that they “will not tolerate sexual harassment, assault or aggression in any form.”
