BCIT investigating case of ‘sexual misconduct’ on Burnaby campus

BCIT says it is investigating a case of “sexual misconduct” that is alleged to have happened on its Burnaby campus last week.

According to an email bulletin penned by BCIT’s director of safety, security and emergency management Glen Magel, the incident happened at the campus track and field facility around 6 p.m. on Friday, and involved “inappropriate touching of a BCIT community member by a passing male on a bike.”

The institution said it has reported the incident to police, and that it was reviewing video footage and had offered support to the alleged victim.

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BCIT would not say whether the parties involved were students, citing privacy legislation.

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The institution described the incident as “rare,” but directed students and staff to be aware of safety and security on campus, and directed them to BCIT’s Safety Wise app.

It’s not the first case of sexual misconduct reported on campus in recent years.

In 2018, the school sent out a safety notice when a man was arrested for allegedly using a cell phone to take photos in a women’s washroom.

And in 2016, the school faced criticism over its handling of another alleged incident of voyeurism, again involving a cell phone — this time in a men’s washroom.