Spec story prompts public discussion about sexual assault
Business owners and organizations have spoken up to support survivors and advocate for change
It’s an uncomfortable conversation, but it’s happening.
Businesses and organizations in Hamilton are entering a public discussion about sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace and beyond.
The dialogue comes in the wake of a Hamilton Spectator investigation into allegations of harassment and sexual violence against chef Manny Ferreira, owner of Mezcal and
Uno Mas on James Street South.
Eight women and men levelled allegations against Ferreira that ranged from pressing himself against workers’ buttocks, to exposing himself to a customer, to grabbing the crotch of a server at another restaurant to having sex with a woman who says she told him “No.”
Through his lawyer, Ferreira issued a statement saying he denies all allegations.
Since the publication of that story on Feb. 17, dozens of new women have come forward with stories about Ferreira and other bar and restaurant owners in the city.
Business owners and organizations have spoken up too, indicating they believe the victims and want to affect change.
On Twitter, the YMCA of Hamilton, Burlington and Brantford addressed the video it produced of Ferreira in 2016 that held him up as a YMCA success story.
Ferreira, who said in the video that he had been homeless and struggled with drugs and alcohol, got his start in the restaurant industry through a YMCA job placement.
The video was quoted in The Spectator story.
On Monday, YMCA president and CEO Jim Commerford emailed me to say they had removed the video from their website.
“It was clear through your investigation and the experience of these women that it was not an accurate and full picture.”
“We were unaware of these disturbing allegations of harassment and assault that have affected so many women across our community,” he wrote.
Commerford said the YMCA will also use the story to “strengthen our work against any form of harassment, including sexual harassment.”
Within days of the story first being published, Commerford sent a note to over 1,000 YMCA employees sharing the article and communicating a commitment to a safe workplace. Over the next two weeks, he plans to host three virtual town halls with staff on the issue.
SACHA, the Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton and Area, spoke to the community through an open letter published in The Spectator and on social media.
It cites the reports of violence and abuse “in local restaurants and at McMaster University” (a reference to ongoing Spectator stories about sexual violence on campus) and asks the community to “always start by listening and believing survivors.”
It also speaks directly to survivors: “We see you, we believe you and you are not alone.”
Popular taco restaurant The Mule — a competitor with Ferreira’s restaurant Mezcal which serves tacos and tequila — posted The Spec story on Instagram and said it stands “in solidarity with all survivors” and was making a donation to SACHA in their honour.
It also said of Ferreira: “Banned this toxic person from all our restaurants two years ago after his treatment of our staff. Wish we could say this article surprised us.”
On its Facebook page, the Hmbrgr restaurants also posted a message about the story from CEO Paola Cipollo.
“As a woman-led business, we stand with all the victims who have experienced harm and abuse at the hands of this individual. It’s incredibly appalling knowing that in our own industry that this is an acceptable culture.”
She says that culture has “no place” in her restaurants, and her business has made a donation to SACHA.
The first organization to speak out in response to the story was the Hamilton Police Service.
Just hours after The Spectator investigation was published, the Sexual Assault Unit sent out a press release referencing the story and encouraging survivors to report any crimes to police.
Hamilton police say people have come forward to provide information “regarding sexual violence involving individuals linked to local Hamilton restaurants and bars.”
(Hamilton police say they are also investigating mischief done to Mezcal in the days after The Spectator investigation was published. The word “Rapist” was spray painted across the front window of the restaurant.)
The police news release was also in reference to an earlier Spectator story about a former Hamilton nightclub owner named Jesse Chiavaroli.
Chiavaroli is currently under investigation by police in Victoria, B.C. after more than a dozen women came forward with allegations of serious sexual assault.
The probe is ongoing. Chiavaroli previously owned three nightclubs in Hess Village — Ora, Heist and Trust. He also owned a now defunct nightclub on John Street South called Baroque with Ferreira.
A third partner at Baroque was Joe Accardi, who has also been a partner in Mezcal through his position as CEO of Forge and Foster, an investment management company.
Accardi is also listed as the director of Ambitious Realty.
A day after publication of the Spectator investigation into Ferreira, Ambitious Realty took to Instagram in “solidarity” with “the brave survivor stories published in the Hamilton Spectator.”
“While in the past we have publicly endorsed his businesses on a professional level, we are dismayed and disturbed to learn of these allegations. We believe the survivors and are inspired by their strength and resilience. We are also grateful to The Spectator for providing a platform for these stories to be heard.”
Ambitious Realty says it will make a donation to SACHA.
Report to the Sexual Assault Unit at 905-540-5553 or online at www.hamiltonpolice.on.ca.
SACHA (Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton and Area): 905525-4162