B.C. massage therapist suspended for 1 week for massaging patients breasts without consent

A B.C. massage therapist who gave a female patient a "whole chest" massage without her consent has been suspended for a week and had limits placed on which parts of women's bodies he can touch.

Hyeokcheon (HC) Kwon entered into an undertaking and consent agreement with the College of Massage Therapists of BC last month in which he admitted to professional misconduct.

According to the college's inquiry committee, a female patient complained about Kwon in October of 2022. At the appointment, Kwon did not discuss the "whole chest massage" with the patient and did not include it in his treatment plan, according to the CMTBC.

"He massaged the patient’s breast tissue under the draping without asking whether the Patient consented to skin-on-skin massage under the draping," the agreement says.

"While the patient was lying face up on the massage table, the draping slipped entirely off the Patient’s body for approximately five to 10 seconds, exposing the patient’s breasts to his view. He continued massaging the patient’s chest while her breasts were exposed," it continues.

After this "slip," Kwon did not apologize or check in with the patient and did not offer to halt the session, according to the college.

Kwon also admitted his record-keeping in relation to this appointment was inadequate because he did not obtain written consent or document verbal consent and did not record the "draping slip," the CMTBC says.

The disciplinary measures Kwon consented to were a reprimand, a one-week suspension, and "extensive remedial education," the agreement says. Until he has completed this education he will not be allowed to touch women's bodies between their collarbones and their ninth ribs.

Kwon is also required by the college to post a notification of this limit on his practice "in a prominent place in any treatment room where he provides massage therapy treatment."