Instructor molested me on first dive

[waynne fowler]

IMO you should write a letter to the dive shop and to the certification agency this person works for. It very well could be that this person had no 'strange' intention but simply lacks any cooth. I can't understand that but hey, just cuz I can't see it don't mean it can't be so.

regardless anytime someone perceives something like this it is because someone did something that, though it may not have been intended, still left that impression. He needs to learn to avoid EVEN the appearance of impropriety.
If you do nothing and this guys a freakazoid you leave him to do this to someone else without at least an attempt to stop it.
Or if he's just a goober he may believe that he helped you over come your fears a bit. He should know how you feel, and if you truly feel violated his shop and training agency should know this also.
If it was just a goofy attempt at calming you, he needs to know that his way of doing so is a bit 'off center' and causes people to be uncomfortable.

i'm glad it didn't turn you off to diving completely.

 

[JohnQPS122]

Maybe this is happening at the same resort over and over because nobody does anything about it other than reporting it here?

At least one thread I remember reading with the few months I've been here:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/265748-divemaster-touching-me.html

 

[Coldwater_Canuck]

Maybe this is happening at the same resort over and over because nobody does anything about it other than reporting it here?

At least one thread I remember reading with the few months I've been here:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/265748-divemaster-touching-me.html

That thread was a bit different because it sounded a bit more like a divemaster trying to flatter someone for at tip and possibly cultural differences causing issues. Not that I defend what the divemaster did in that case, but it was more borderline. Kissing and groping is clearly over the line and couldn't have just been for tips.

There are three major problems:
- the sexual assault: This may be fairly minor for "assult" but could still be quite traumatic for a person, especially 45 feet under the water where they feel powerless to escape it. This is clearly abuse, the divemaster is likely physically stronger but also the OPs lack of diving experience made her very vulnerable here.
- ignoring agency safety standards: Discover Scuba should not be going down to 45 feet
- additional major safety issues; I haven't seen this issue mentioned, but what about if the OP had freaked because of this and taken off for the surface? While DCS wouldn't be likely from this depth, there have been reported cases where people hold their breath after panicking, causing either an embolism or lung over-expansion. The depth itself was bad enough, but then behaviour that could have easily caused her to do something that led to death seems criminal.

 

[JohnQPS122]

There was another thread recently that I couldn't find today, the person mentioned kissing hands and the divemaster/instructor saying things like "you are my girlfriend underwater" or "I am your boyfriend underwater" and other stuff.

I just wanted to point out that I've read about this before and I hope these people are being reported to their bosses and scuba agencies, not just here.

 

[vladimir]

IMO you should write a letter to the dive shop and to the certification agency this person works for. It very well could be that this person had no 'strange' intention but simply lacks any cooth. I can't understand that but hey, just cuz I can't see it don't mean it can't be so.

regardless anytime someone perceives something like this it is because someone did something that, though it may not have been intended, still left that impression. He needs to learn to avoid EVEN the appearance of impropriety.
If you do nothing and this guys a freakazoid you leave him to do this to someone else without at least an attempt to stop it.
Or if he's just a goober he may believe that he helped you over come your fears a bit. He should know how you feel, and if you truly feel violated his shop and training agency should know this also.
If it was just a goofy attempt at calming you, he needs to know that his way of doing so is a bit 'off center' and causes people to be uncomfortable.

i'm glad it didn't turn you off to diving completely.

What world do you live in? He just lacks couth?? The man is a predator, who took advantage of somebody who he knew was vulnerable at that moment. It may not have been intended?? How do you accidentally molest somebody? He needs to learn to avoid EVEN the appearance of impropriety?? This is way beyond the appearance of impropriety. It is way beyond impropriety. It is assault, plain and simple. It was not a goofy attempt to calm her. The man is not a goober who is a bit off-center, he is a predator. This post is so clueless it's offensive.

 

[I Dive]

IMO you should write a letter to the dive shop and to the certification agency this person works for. It very well could be that this person had no 'strange' intention but simply lacks any cooth. I can't understand that but hey, just cuz I can't see it don't mean it can't be so.

regardless anytime someone perceives something like this it is because someone did something that, though it may not have been intended, still left that impression. He needs to learn to avoid EVEN the appearance of impropriety.
If you do nothing and this guys a freakazoid you leave him to do this to someone else without at least an attempt to stop it.
Or if he's just a goober he may believe that he helped you over come your fears a bit. He should know how you feel, and if you truly feel violated his shop and training agency should know this also.
If it was just a goofy attempt at calming you, he needs to know that his way of doing so is a bit 'off center' and causes people to be uncomfortable.

i'm glad it didn't turn you off to diving completely.

He lacks couth? What exactly is the sophistacted way to fondle and kiss on a customer?

 

[toddthecat]

I have not heard of such a situation either. You do have the option of reporting the incident to the dive organization that he is an instructor with. If it's PADI they are really good about keeping you anonymous. That sort of behavior is by far grounds for him to lose his certification. With something like this PADI will contact all his prior students and inquire about their experiences. If other people come out with similar stories he's hosed.

 

[Mark Michaud SELAUSAR]

Dude needs his kneecaps introduced to a Louisville Slugger. Unbelievable.

 

[scubadada]

Sorry, this individual should be arrested for assault? Report it appropriately and let the legal system work. No letters to the dive shop... report it to the police.

Good diving, Craig

 

[Laustimus]

I really cannot believe that this is something that is normal for anyone... much less someone brand new to the experience.

Who said this is normal? Sexual harassment is still sexual harassment wheter it's on land under the sea or on the moon.