Divan Is Not So Divine

My story of Sexual Assault and injustice while working at the popular Restaurant Divan Restaurant and Hookah Lounge

Located right across from the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in the grand house on the hill, Divan Restaurant presents itself as a sophisticated Persian establishment, drawing patrons with its cultural decor and ambiance. The sense of intimacy and exclusivity that seems flawless on the surface. 

However, beneath this exterior lies a reality of sexual assault, harassment, discrimination, infestations and horrendous management practices. The facade of sophistication is a front, masking the deep-seated issues that plague (more so supported and condoned by) this establishment. 

This is not only a recount of my harrowing experience, but also a call to action against the pervasive culture of negligence and cover-ups made by management. I worked at this establishment for over a year, starting as host then briefly trained as a bartender and finally becoming a server. 

The following events took place since: 

May 27th, 2024 

At the end of my shift preparing to go home, 

Edgar Cruz Jr, the bartender at Divan, who had been taking shots throughout the entire night, grabbed me as I was leaving. He was drunk, but his inebriation was no excuse for his predatory actions. He forcefully pulled me towards him and groped me aggressively with both hands on my ass. I pushed him off of me and, in the moment of self defense I slapped him in the head. I defended myself, but the damage was done. Not only did he assault me, he assaulted another employee that same night prior to me. 

June 4th, 2024

I confronted Edgar, seeking acknowledgement and accountability. Instead, he denied everything, even tried to gaslight me asking “when did we work together? I don’t recall any of this happening.” He became aggressively defensive as I continued confronting him in front of staff members, speaking loud and clearly for people to hear. Edgar insinuated that I was lying, going far as telling me, “I’m sorry for whatever you THINK I did to you, but that doesn’t even sound like me.” My heart sank when the general manager, Andrew Carter, witnessed our exchange briefly, but chose not intervene. 

After confronting Edgar, I recounted the incident to Andrew about what he did, yet I could tell that he was more concerned about being inconvenienced by yet another problem happening at Divan, like the plethora of other issues, than actually caring about what I said. Before even displaying any kind of sympathy, Andrew said “I wish you would’ve told me sooner” as if my coworker, who was also assaulted by Edgar, didn’t tell him multiple times prior. The General Manager’s subsequent assurances were empty promises as Edgar continued to be scheduled for work on Sunday evening when I don’t work. 

Despite my clear communication and the severity of the incident, management reminded me on multiple occasions that they were choosing to prioritize their staffing needs over my safety and well-being. This is an establishment that has threatened employees' employment and fired servers for not working Sunday doubles, regardless if we were short staffed or not, yet Edgar was an exception. This is not just about one person’s misconduct; it’s also about a systemic failure to protect employees and hold perpetrators accountable. 

June 24th, 2024

Work schedules were posted every Thursday, I hardly checked it since I had a consistent schedule of: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday Morning for consecutive months. 

Edgar was scheduled to work alongside me. It was unbeknownst to me as I was told he would be confined to Sunday evening only. Coming into work and seeing him there put me in a compromising situation. I wanted to quit right then and there, but couldn’t due to personal circumstances. The lack of communication and consideration further exacerbated by trauma, I was left vulnerable and exposed. Andrew’s decision to also assign my serving section in close proximity at the bar where my assailant was, was a blatant disregard for my safety, especially after Edgar was aggressively defensive with me confronting him… I was scared of possible retaliation from him. If he was capable of touching me while drunk I could only assume what he would do to me sober. 

June 30th, 2024 

The discomfort of the situation began to manifest into showing up late for work constantly, losing nearly 10lbs, and a sense of hopelessness because I was only getting 2 to 3 hours of sleep since being assaulted. Seeking some reassurance, I spoke with Kisha Douglas, the bar manager, about Edgar’s continued employment and feeling uncomfortable with working with him once again on July 1st. She admitted that she was in the process of hiring his replacements, but was constrained by being short staffed. Kisha suggested asking coworkers to take my shift and that she would notify the manager, Alfredo, of the situation. The weight of their priorities became clear—My safety was secondary to their operational convenience. 

Desperation set in as I scrambled to find my replacement, so I wouldn’t have to work with him, yet nobody was able to. 

July 1st, 2024

Despite my best efforts, no one could cover my shift, forcing me to go to work. I arrived late, the manager Alfredo wasn’t even aware I was supposed to be there. I pulled him aside to express my discomfort, asking if Kisha spoke to him regarding the situation of my assault… he didn’t even know what I was talking about, so I had to relive the situation by telling him what Edgar did to me while trying to hold back tears. This highlighted the severe communication breakdown within the management team. I explained that I had been assaulted by Edgar and requested to go home. Reluctantly, I left, sacrificing my income while my assailant remained employed. 

July 2, 2024

During my shift, Andrew sought to clarify his stance after having a conversation with Alfredo. He explained that he never intended to fire Edgar immediately, once again due to staffing shortages, prioritizing the establishment’s interests over my safety so he doesn’t lose his job. His lack of urgency and empathy was appalling. I was then asked to host while he goes on vacation, to which he emphasized that, despite once again asking me to work with Edgar on a Friday (a day I normally do not work), when he comes back he’ll finally fire Edgar. Further underscoring their disregard for my trauma. 

July 5th, 2024

Unable to endure the environment any longer, especially after it began to affect my mental health to the point of suicidal idealization, I sent a message in the work chat before my shift. Stating that I quit because I don’t feel comfortable working with someone who has sexually assaulted me. I blocked all the managers, cutting ties with the place that had failed to protect me to pursue a lawsuit. 

Since my departure, Edgar remained employed at the establishment until late July. He was not fired for the sexual harassment he inflicted on me and another underage employee, but was dismissed for giving alcohol to a trainee. Management continued to create false narratives to staff members perpetuating a culture of deceit and negligence. 

To Kisha and Andrew,

Your internalized misogyny, narcissism and lack of empathy have not only contributed to the trauma I experienced but y’all are also significant factors in the downfall of Divan. Kisha, since the day I started working at Divan, your obsessive and sexually harassing behavior towards me has been a constant source of distress. Your actions have been nothing short of predatory, and yet you stand by, claiming not to condone sexual assault while your own behavior is on thin ice.  I should’ve filed a lawsuit on you too for kissing me unwanted on New Years. Furthermore, your bitter attitude only exacerbates the toxic environment at Divan. Andrew, you have shown a disturbing preference for arguing with women and placing them in compromising situations at work. A significant number of hostesses have quit due to your confrontational and argumentative behavior towards them and you create false narratives to deflect yourself from the blame. Your interactions have created a hostile work environment, contributing to high turnover and dissatisfaction among the team. Your failure to act decisively and compassionately in the face of these assaults has exposed a deep-seated culture of discrimination and harassment within the establishment. By prioritizing operational convenience over the safety and well-being of your staff, you have shown a blatant disregard for human dignity and justice. Your actions, or rather inaction, have perpetuated an environment where misogyny thrives, leaving employees vulnerable and unsupported.

Moreover, some of the male staff exhibit behavior similar to Edgar’s, engaging in predatory actions and making inappropriate comments towards female employees. This pervasive culture of harassment further underscores the negligence and toxicity within Divan.

To Max,

As the owner of Divan, you are just as complicit in allowing Kisha and Andrew to maintain an environment rife with discrimination, harassment, and misogyny. Your silence and inaction in the face of these issues speak volumes about your priorities. By enabling two power-hungry individuals to run your establishment with such disregard for the safety and well-being of your staff, you have shown that you condone their behavior. It is evident that your primary concern is profit, not the people who work tirelessly to uphold the facade of sophistication and elegance that Divan projects. This negligence and lack of accountability will ultimately lead to the restaurant’s downfall.

The safety, dignity, and respect of your employees should never be secondary to financial gain.