A BC massage therapist has been barred from treating women after a female patient complained that he touched sensitive areas of her body.

According to a July 13 College of Massage Therapy of BC extraordinary action notice, Chilliwack-based massage therapist William Hendricks is not allowed to treat female patients and must immediately post on websites associated with him that the order is in place.

Few details are given as to what is alleged to have taken place, but the regulator received a complaint from a patient on June 16.

The College alleges that Hendricks “engaged in sexual misconduct by engaging in non-therapeutic touching of sensitive areas of the patient’s body.”

“(The regulator) considered the allegations serious and found that there is a risk of recurrence if an interim order was not made. Therefore, (it was) determined that the public must be protected by an interim order during the investigation and pending any discipline hearing,” the College said in the notice.

According to the College, Hendricks has been a licenced massage therapist since 2019 and practices from his home-based business Vedder River Massage Therapy in Chilliwack.

The College says Hendricks must have a printed sign at his work stating that he is not allowed to treat women.\The regulator states that the allegation of sexual misconduct remains unproven and the limitation has been put in place to protect the public while an investigation is underway.

No other details are given in the decision.