Massage therapist disciplined for playing games on phone while treating clients - CTV News Vancouver

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VANCOUVER -- A Prince George-based massage therapist, who was accused of sexual misconduct, is being disciplined for playing games on his phone and creating a disrespectful environment while treating clients.

Trevor Scott, a registered massage therapist, was investigated by the College of Massage Therapists of B.C. after two female clients made complaints about his treatments.

One client alleged that during two separate treatments, while she was lying face down for part of the massage, Scott massaged her with one hand and then masturbated with the other. Another female client, a regular, alleged that she believed he was using his phone while treating her. In one instance, during the face down portion of the massage, she looked up and saw him quickly hide his cell phone.

The college sent in an undercover male investigator in May 2019 who posed as a client, about two months after some of the incidents were alleged to have taken place.

The investigation found that “Mr. Scott used his cellular phone with one hand while massaging the undercover investigator with his other hand,” reads the CMTBC disciplinary document.

“Mr. Scott had his cellular phone in his hand for a total of 15 minutes and 24 seconds of the treatment and was using it to play a game similar to Candy Crush,” it continues.

Following the investigation, documents from the board include no indication of Scott admitting to sexual misconduct.

"The evidence gathered during the investigation did not support a conclusion that Mr. Scott had taken photographs or video recordings of any patient while using his cellular phone during treatment," read the documents.

Instead, Scott admitted to using his phone to play games such as ‘Empire,’ Sudoku and Mahjong, and to read messages while treating clients.

His admitted “purpose” for playing games and having his phone in his hand “was to remain alert and awake,” reads the disciplinary decision.

The committee that investigated Scott said the conduct was “serious,” and that when a patient who is unclothed and lying on a massage table is likely to become “distressed and upset” if they see their massage therapist using their phone.

“In using his mobile phone during treatments of patients, Mr. Scott was not treating those patients with respect or acting in their best interests, and the effectiveness and safety of his treatments may have been compromised,” the decision reads.

Scott has been slapped with several hefty fines, two five-day suspensions, a requirement to do “intensive remedial coursework on professional ethics and boundaries” and is no longer allowed to have his phone in the room when he gives massages, among other things.

“(Mr. Scott now has) a permanent condition on his practice of massage therapy, namely that he cannot have his cellular phone present in any treatment room during a massage therapy treatment,” reads the disciplinary decision.

The complainants were not named in the investigation and therefore could not be reached for comment. CTV News Vancouver has reached out to Scott for comment and will update the story if he responds.