Direct info from from owner of Indianapolis D/S Fetish Business

[democraticinsurgent]

On edit: meant to post this as a reply to an earlier thread. See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=151&topic_id=3589&mesg_id=3589

I am now in contact with Melyssa Donaghy (Miss Ann), owner of the Reformatory. She has provided me a link to her site, which now features a rebuttal to the Mayor's press release. Each "Fact" item is a rebuttal to the paragraph above, from the original press release.

INDIANAPOLIS - Under pressure from the city code inspectors and residents, an illegal adult business located a few hundred feet from a child daycare has shut its doors, Mayor Bart Peterson announced today.

FACT: City Attornies deemed THE REFORMATORY was not classified as adult retail. The zoning variance for the building did not allow for retail sales of any nature to be sold from the particular suite it occupied.

FACT: The zoning variance for The Chatham Center provided for gallery and retail sales only from the suites formerly occupied by LAMP Fine Art Gallery, not from the suite the shop was in. The only compliance issue with THE REFORMATORY was the aforementioned retail sales zoning variance.

The Mayor joined neighborhood leaders, daycare staff and Indianapolis Police Chief Michael Spears to discuss the closure of The Reformatory, an illegal sex shop located in the historic Chatham Arch neighborhood across the street from a youth daycare. The Reformatory sold various adult items related to masochism and erotic torture and advertised weekly sessions onsite teaching domination and masochistic practices.

FACT: The #1 selling product of THE REFORMATORY was male chastity devices used to keep men chaste and to prevent promiscious sex and adultery.

FACT: THE REFORMATORY had $20,000 in fine art inventory and regularly put money directly into the pockets of local artists and craftsmen.

FACT: Weekly discussion groups were focused on teaching strong relationship foundations built in a trust dynamic. Discussion is not illegal anywhere in the United States.

"Illegal, adult businesses like the Reformatory have no place in neighborhoods, especially in and around schools, daycare centers, parks and other locations where our children play and learn," said Mayor Peterson. "The city will continue to work with the community and take action against those adult businesses that refuse to comply with the law and threaten the quality of life in our neighborhoods."

FACT: Other businesses inside The Chatham Center who interacted with the owner of THE REFORMATORY on a daily basis had no issue with her and frequently visited with her. All of the neighbors inside The Chatham Center got along marvelously. Clients of THE REFORMATORY had zero impact on the other businesses inside The Chatham Center or the surrounding neighborhood.

FACT: Any retail shop in Indianapolis from any location can legally offer no more than 24% of its inventory in items that can be construed as sex toys and/or adult items. This is how Spencer's Gifts in the mall stays open crawling with kids as customers. This is how farm supply shops can sell crops.
(732-217 City Code Definition of Adult Bookstore)

To that end, the Mayor also announced the city has filed suit against the owner of the Reformatory for operating an illegal sex business out of her Northside house on the 4100 block of Central Ave.

FACT: Suit is an ordinance violation set for an appearance in Environmental Court. (not criminal action)
CAUSE NO. 49F-120511-OV-046273

The case was initiated after an undercover Indianapolis Police Department investigation found that the owner was running a business in her basement where clients were paying to be take part in sexual activities, including sex-related torture. The suit calls for the owner to cease operating the illegal sex business from her home and pay a fine of up to $2,500.

FACT: The undercover agent REPEATEDLY solicited her for sex in his preliminary interview. He was emphatically told there would be zero sexual contact and that if sex was sought, he needed to look elsewhere. During his interview he insisted on wanting to learn about the role of the submissive. Because Miss Ann believes strongly that education breaks down misconceptions and stereotypes, Miss Ann described (for over an hour) her asexual relationships with her submissives, including her submissives in chastity. After hearing about her NON SEXUAL relationships with her submissives, he said he wanted to see what it was like to be a submissive and Miss Ann agreed to take his session. His session was completely non sexual and his genitals remained covered and untouched during the entire session. He was given a code word to say in the event he felt threatened in any manner, including psychological fear. At no time during the session did he feel the need to exercise this option. He was taught how to ACT while being in the ROLE of a submissive.

Neighborhoods have long expressed concerns about the negative impacts adult entertainment establishments have on nearby residences and businesses. Studies have shown that adult entertainment businesses often attract criminal activity - especially sex related crimes.

FACT: Since summer of 2001, in nearly five years of practicing domination from her home, the owner had zero complaints from neighbors in her upscale historic neighborhood. She teaches responsibility and trust in relationships and practices chastity with her submissives. Chastity is the OPPOSITE of sex.
Essay Written by one of Miss Ann's submissives: "From Sex Addict to Chastity: A Radical Reversal of Lifestyle"

The Reformatory is one of eight illegal adult establishments to close since 2002 under intense city scrutiny. In October, the city won another major victory when a court ordered the closure of Reel One, an illegal sex club on the city's Westside. In 2002 and 2003 the city helped shut down six lingerie shops, which were actually operating as illegal adult entertainment businesses.

FACT: Despite the Mayor's insistance upon referring to THE REFORMATORY as an adult business, zoning officials determined THE REFORMATORY was NOT an adult business and the city attorney reiterated this determination at the Mayor's press conference.

FACT: The owner voluntarily closed the shop 1 month before the Mayor's press conference because the shop did not pay her enough to run it.

The Mayor also led the charge with the help of the City-County Council to amend local laws to prohibit a pornography shop from locating Downtown and limit the hours of adult bookstores and set other restrictions on their operation.

http://www.thereformatory.com

[thinkingwoman]

1. Thanks for posting this!

This clears up a LOT of questions.

It sounds like Bart's administration is using zoning laws to eliminate businesses he can't get rid of any other way, like prosecutors used tax evation laws to get mobsters in the past (note: I am NOT comparing the shop owner to a mobster).

So how to fight this? Easy really. Expose it. Refute it. BUT make damn sure these businesses do not violate zoning laws.