Not for the Faint of Heart

MODESTO, Calif. (CN) - In a labor complaint, a single mom claims Suzie's Adult Superstore fired her for refusing to clean video booths in which customers were "encouraged" to masturbate and have sex through "glory holes." She claims "the smell of seamen [sic] permeated the air" of the chain store's Stockton outlet, and that she suffered panic attacks and other stress-related symptoms from having to clean up semen, used condoms, drug paraphernalia, urine and feces from inside and outside the store.

In her complaint in Stanislaus County Court, Cynthia Renfrow claims, "Defendants encouraged the customers to engage in illegal sexual activity in the booths, all while Ms. Renfrow was working in the store."

"Defendants provided tissue dispensers in the booths which were obviously to be used by the customers while the customers were masturbating. Several times after a customer 'finished' in the arcade booth, the customer would leer at Ms. Renfrow as he left the store. This caused Ms. Renfrow severe emotional distress and she feared for her safety, especially when she was working late at night."

She says that her symptoms abated after she transferred to the chain's "much cleaner" Modesto store. But soon, that store took on a seedy character too, and the defendants made plans to install a "glory hole," according to the 26-page complaint.

"Glory holes are holes in the partitions between the booths through which a customer can stick his penis or other body part so he can engage in illicit sexual relations with the customer on the other side," according to the complaint. "A grate was placed over the hole, but the grate was easily moved aside."

When her symptoms returned, Renfrow says, she refused to clean the video booths and complained to her bosses about the changes in the store. She says she took medical leave in 2009 and the defendants fired her.

Renfrow seeks punitive damages from Suzie's Adult Superstores, Janra Enterprises and David Baitinger, a Janra manager. She alleged wrongful termination, sexual harassment, hostile work environment, retaliation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, breach of contract, and Labor Code violations.

She is represented by Michael Dennis with Crabtree Schmidt in Modesto.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit