Police investigate assault, sexual harassment allegations at Victoria gym

Two women who allege sexual assault and harassment at a downtown gym have filed police reports - and are speaking out to warn others.

Warning: This story contains details about assault and sexual harassment allegations.

Allegations of sexual misconduct are being levelled against the owner of a gym in downtown Victoria, B.C. – prompting a police investigation.

At least two women are accusing the head coach and owner of Zuma Martial Arts of assault and sexual harassment. CTV News is protecting the identities of both women, who are worried about retaliation.

One of the women, who CTV News is calling Jane, said during her time at the gym she was subjected to comments about her appearance, unwanted touching, and invasive questions about her sex life.

She said she reached her breaking point during a sparring session last summer.

“I remember having a really clear conversation saying, ‘I don’t want to roll with you. I don’t want to touch you.’ And he said, ‘Come on, you’re making me feel like I don’t have consent.’ And I said, ‘You don’t,’” Jane said.

She’s alleging he pulled her in anyway, leading to a “violating” encounter.

“I could not have been any clearer that I didn’t want to shake his hand,” she said. “I certainly didn’t want him on top of me. I didn’t want him manipulating my hips. I didn’t want his head in my chest… All of which happened in those two minutes.”

Jane said she quit the gym that day.

Another former student, who CTV News is calling Shelby, is also accusing the coach of assault while sparring.

“He’s a big man. I’m a small woman. He basically pinned my legs to the floor, and he used that opportunity to then use his hand to grope my vagina,” Shelby said.

“I just froze. I wanted to believe that he didn’t mean to do it, but you just know in the back of your mind, like there’s no way that’s an accident.”

Shelby and Jane said they were spurred to action after hearing similar allegations from other women, some of which were tied to a Reddit post where Jane shared her concerns about two weeks ago.

“I felt the need to warn other women that this is not a safe gym,” Jane said.

Both women recently filed police reports.

“I was training a sport that’s supposed to be for self-defence and it was used against me,” Shelby said. “That was my coach. That was somebody that I was supposed to trust and he ruined that.”

Both women also said the coach offered to take photos of them. In Jane’s case, she claims the offer came shortly after he showed her a picture of a naked woman.

“Having seen the type of photography that he enjoyed, it was my understanding that it was an offer for an explicit shoot,” she said.

Zuma hires HR firm for cultural review

CTV News is not naming the gym owner because charges have not been laid.

In a statement posted on Zuma’s front door and on its social media pages, the gym’s leadership team said it has spent the past week listening to painful stories.

“Even when details are complex or perspectives differ, we believe one thing above all: every person deserves to feel safe and respected when they walk into our gym,” the statement reads.

“We recognize that informality, blurred lines, and leadership centered on one voice can fail people. That’s not what we want and that’s not what our community deserves.”

The leadership team said in has hired Magenta HR to conduct an independent culture review and to help revise its code of conduct.

“We’re not here to argue, we’re here to rebuild. We know trust must be earned, not requested,” Zuma’s statement reads.

“We are not defending the past. We are defining what comes next, together.”

The Victoria Police Department confirmed it is investigating and is encouraging anyone else with concerns to come forward.

If you’ve experienced sexualized violence and want help, you can contact:

• Victoria Sexual Assault Centre at 250-383-3232
• Vancouver Island Crisis Line at 1-888-494-3888
• Salal Sexual Violence Support Centre on Mainland B.C. at 1-877-392-7583