Question New to scuba diving, is it a bad instructor?

[Bubblesong]

OP has started an identical thread in FB with identical responses. Kinda parallel universe. Not sure she if she was expecting a different response.

I think that with the exception of JohnDiver, the overwhelming sentiment on both forums seems to be “report the guy” and repeat the course. Everything else is dogpiling at this time.

Op is educating the public about a public danger to young women and our daughters too.

 

[Bubblesong]

Does any man here who golfs ever recall another man helping them learn golf like this? But it is a stock image online for men to help women learn by snuggling up to them.

 

[Bubblesong]

Any man learn to shoot a gun while another man was snoogling up behind them? This is shutterstock, not some rare instance.

 

[Allen-1]

Any man learn to shoot a gun while another man was snoogling up behind them? This is shutterstock, not some rare instance.

I do some firearms instruction, and it can be very hands on. My hands most typically are on the shooter's hands (as shown in that stock photo), and on the shooter's shoulder/back as required, (some new shooters have a tendency to let the recoil drive their hands up, and they lean back when they need to lean forward a bit).

In order to help new shooters, you NEED to be close to the firearm they're using, your voice is your first response to anything they're doing incorrectly, but you need to be able to control the direction of the muzzle of the firearm - and that requires proximity.

I taught half a dozen young people how to shoot semi-auto rifles and pistols two weeks ago, and I literally had hands on all of them at one point or another. I'm VERY careful where my hands go, but I was well inside their personal space.

So, while I don't disagree with your overall point - which is that of instructors invading their students space inappropriately - that's not a very good example.

Best regards.

 

[uncfnp]

Op is educating the public about a public danger to young women and our daughters too.

Obviously this is nothing unique to scuba. What we need to teach our youth (and yes this is probably a uniquely female problem) is not only how to recognize inappropriate behavior but also how to respond when this happens. I think the OP had difficulty with both aspects of this encounter.

I personally have difficulty with responses that only encourage punishment for the offender and do not recognize the need for the “victim” to gain better insight to such situations and how to mitigate the situation and risk. I think this is exactly what @happy-diver was trying to convey. It is not victim blaming but victim empowerment.

 

[Soloist]

Does any man here who golfs ever recall another man helping them learn golf like this? But it is a stock image online for men to help women learn by snuggling up to them.

That's a very good point. It's definitely fishy. I taught guitar years ago, but I don't recall ever teaching this chord position.

 

[runsongas]

@uncfnp the issue is that it is a very fine line to tread without veering into victim blaming. i'm not holding my breath that padi does anything useful and depending on the island in question that goes the same for the local PD.

 

[runsongas]

@tridacna the issue is that just reporting is unlikely to get the results that are needed. maybe i'm a cynic, but I fully expect that PADI will say some BS that they couldn't find enough evidence and sweep it under the rug and tripadvisor will just scrub the bad review. then in a few more months we'll get another thread from the next victim. and that is probably just the tip of the iceberg for what is happening.

 

[tridacna]

@tridacna the issue is that just reporting is unlikely to get the results that are needed. maybe i'm a cynic, but I fully expect that PADI will say some BS that they couldn't find enough evidence and sweep it under the rug and tripadvisor will just scrub the bad review. then in a few more months we'll get another thread from the next victim. and that is probably just the tip of the iceberg for what is happening.

Which is why the OP needs to do a report on Tripadvisor.

 

[Belzelbub]

@tridacna the issue is that just reporting is unlikely to get the results that are needed. maybe i'm a cynic, but I fully expect that PADI will say some BS that they couldn't find enough evidence and sweep it under the rug and tripadvisor will just scrub the bad review. then in a few more months we'll get another thread from the next victim. and that is probably just the tip of the iceberg for what is happening.

I don't disagree with you. At least, the OP has established a documented complaint with PADI. If this is the first such complaint, then there is a possibility of what you say. At most, they'll probably be able to interview the OP, the instructor, and possibly the third individual mentioned. They may not find enough evidence on this first instance. However, if they get additional complaints (or already have) then this becomes a lot harder to sweep under the rug, as they would be opening themselves up to action at that point for allowing a known offender to continue training under the PADI flag.