News

OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM DUKE’S & DOTTIE’S ATHENS

We are deeply concerned by a woman’s report that she was sexually assaulted by three men inside Duke’s & Dottie’s Athens on the night of Saturday, October 31. Our thoughts are with her. Sexual violence is never acceptable and has no place in our establishment or our community.

We understand the fear and concern this report has caused among our guests, employees, and the Athens community. Those concerns deserve our attention. Providing a safe, welcoming environment is a responsibility we take seriously.

We are fully cooperating with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department as it investigates this matter. Anyone who witnessed something that evening or has information that may assist investigators is encouraged to contact ACCPD at 706-613-3330 and ask to be connected with the investigator handling this report.

Out of respect for the woman’s privacy and the ongoing investigation, we will not speculate about the circumstances or share unverified information. We ask others to respect her privacy as well.

We respect the decisions of business partners who have chosen to pause our collaborations while the investigation is ongoing. We value these relationships and hope to resume our partnerships once the investigation has concluded. Our immediate focus remains cooperating fully with investigators and addressing the safety concerns of our guests, employees, and community.

As information emerges, we will carefully review it to determine whether additional steps are warranted to strengthen safety for our guests and employees. We will communicate confirmed updates and any resulting changes as appropriate.

Our commitment to the well-being of our guests, employees, and community remains central to how we respond.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, we encourage to call police and seek assistance from organizations such as The Cottage, an Athens-based sexual assault advocacy organization, which offers a free, confidential 24/7 crisis and information hotline at 1-877-363-1912.