stripclub exposed

Charity Fickisen describes herself as a 23-year-old single mother supporting herself and her son while pursuing a law-enforcement degree at Columbus State Community College.

She does that by working as a stripper at the Doll House on the North Side, she says.

"For the past three years, my job as a dancer has helped me get my life back on track," a tearful Fickisen told members of the House Judiciary Committee yesterday.

"I enjoy my job because it is ideal for a single mom like me."

Fickisen was among more than a dozen witnesses who testified yesterday for or against a bill that says dancers cannot come within 6 feet of patrons and prohibits nude and semi-nude dancing between midnight and 6 a.m.

Senate Bill 16, which was created through a petition effort by Cincinnati-based Citizens for Community Values, passed the Senate last week and now is being considered by the House. Another committee hearing is expected next week.

Passage is considered likely.

Yesterday’s six-hour hearing featured emotional testimony from strippers such as Fickisen who fear losing their jobs; anger from strip-club owners who say they will be forced out of business; and impassioned arguments for the bill from law-enforcement officials.

Supporters say the law is needed to prevent the prostitution, drug activity, lower property values and urban blight that they say accompany strip clubs.

"All we’re really asking you to do is to ensure that they operate … as safely as possible, both for them and the communities that they’re in," Theresa Fleming, director of Moms for Ohio, told the committee. "Is that really so much to ask?"

Opponents dispute the link between strip clubs and crime and say Citizens for Community Values wants to impose its own values and shut down legitimate businesses that provide thousands of good-paying jobs.

"Let’s be honest: CCV is using unreasonable arguments to justify its desire to rid Ohio of all R-rated entertainment available to consenting adults," said Jay Nelson, general manager of Sirens in Columbus and a club in Toledo. "What you see in these clubs is no different than what you’d see on cable TV."

"I am guilty of taking tips in a garter to feed my children, earn an education and strive for the same American dream of opportunity we all share," said Angelina Spencer, a former stripper who now is executive director of the National Association of Club Executives.

It was a day of what committee Chairman Louis Blessing, a Cincinnati Republican, called "very informative and sometimes bizarre" testimony — including how much of the buttocks must be exposed to constitute being semi-nude.

"Now, some of the bikinis I’ve seen show an awful lot of the female or male buttocks," Rep. Armond Budish, D-Beechwood, said at one point. "Wouldn’t that then mean that a person wearing the bikini or many types of clothing could be included as semi-nude?"

"No," replied Scott D. Bergthold, a Tennessee lawyer representing Citizens for Community Values who specializes in such issues. "If you have a T-back, if you have a G-string, if you have something that goes down the butt crack, then that’s not (semi-nude)."

Much of the debate in committee yesterday focused on the proposed requirement that dancers remain at least 6 feet away from patrons.

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Club owners testified that, in some cases, their buildings aren’t large enough for dancers to move around without violating the rule. Rep. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, also noted the proposed law says any dancer who regularly appears nude or semi-nude must observe the 6-foot rule — even if they are fully dressed.

"If the girl gets done dancing and wears a burqa or something or puts her plantation dress on and becomes a bar drink server, if I’m reading this correctly … they can’t be within 6 feet even if they’re fully clothed," Seitz said.

Bergthold said the provision is needed because of the illegal sexual activity that takes place after performances, even if the dancer dons a bikini or other clothing.

But others raised the scenario of a dancer’s mother coming to a club with a family emergency or a husband and wife having to stay 6 feet apart. Rep. Stephen Dyer, D-Green, also noted the proposed charge of a first-degree misdemeanor is the same as vehicular homicide and other crimes.

Bergthold argued that lawmakers were offering extreme hypotheticals and that "no one is going to prosecute anybody under this bill for being within 6 feet of their husband." He also said similar restrictions have been enacted in eight states, and strip clubs remain open there.

Even so, Jeff Hoeppner, a night manager at Dockside Dolls on the Northeast Side, said he expects to lose his job if the law, as written, is approved. He also said most of the 94 exotic dancers who work part-time shifts at the club will have to find new jobs.

Those dancers rely on tip money, which will be difficult to obtain if they have to stay 6 feet away from patrons, he said.

"They could make a law that says you can’t stand 6 feet from a drug dealer or a prostitute. They are trying to shut us down."

Hoeppner also said the owners of Dockside Dolls, which draws 800 customers a week, wouldn’t be able to stay open if the club had to close at midnight because business usually picks up between then and 2:30 a.m.

Joe Haig, who slipped a few bucks to a topless dancer known as "Tia" at Dockside Dolls about 12:30 a.m. yesterday, and others at the club said they think the proposal is "stupid."

"These girls gotta live, too," one customer said. "They’re not hurting anybody."

mniquette@dispatch.com

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