Accusations of workplace misconduct have surfaced surrounding a South Okanagan massage therapist.
A provincial licensing body is investigating whether registered massage therapist Brent Rowland sent explicit texts and images to a third party during a massage therapy appointment, and whether he viewed naked female patients when lifting the draping sheets that covered them as they rolled over.
The College of Massage Therapists of B.C. says the misconduct investigation is underway, and that Rowland is banned from treating future female patients.
“The inquiry committee initiated an investigation on its own motion regarding Mr. Rowland, based on information received from members of the public,” the college said in a release.
“The inquiry committee panel was satisfied that there is a prima facie case of sexual misconduct in relation to the two allegations set out above, and that the evidence was not manifestly unfounded, unreliable or exaggerated.”
The college continued, saying “the inquiry committee panel found that the allegations are serious and there is a real risk of harm to patients if Mr. Rowland was allowed to continue to practice without restriction.”
The committee said it has also found another case of conduct “unbecoming” in relation to a separate allegation, but it says the committee did not see a real and immediate risk to the public’s safety.
Rowland told Global News on Wednesday that he is cooperating with the investigation, but said, “there have been some very unfortunate allegations made against me.”
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“They are allegations only and no investigation of them has been completed. I understand the need for the College to err on the side of caution when protecting the public interest. That is their job,” Rowland said in an email.
“I sincerely regret that the College has found it necessary to act in such a way in this instance. I know that many people assume that anyone accused of a wrongdoing is automatically guilty. All I can say is that I plan to cooperate fully with the investigation, and I hope it can proceed as quickly as possible.”
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