Caught Between Systems: Regulated, But Not Protected.

A Core Summary of Workplace Violence & BC RMTs

1. Workplace violence is systemic, not incidental

The central argument is that workplace violence (including sexual assault, harassment, coercion, and threats) is not rare or isolated, it is enabled by the structure of the work environment, not just “bad patients”.

For RMTs in BC, that structure includes:

• Working alone in private treatment rooms

• High levels of physical contact and vulnerability

• Power imbalance with patients (especially new or unknown)

• Lack of immediate support or supervision

This is not a “clinical risk”, it’s a labour and workplace safety issue.

2. Misclassification directly increases risk

• Many RMTs are treated as independent contractors

• But in reality, they function like employees (clinic control, fees, schedule, billing, etc.)

• Because of this:

  • Clinics avoid responsibility for worker safety

  • There is no formal workplace safety structure

  • Reporting systems are unclear or non-existent

Result:

• No WorkSafeBC coverage clarity

• No employer duty to protect

• No standardized incident response protocols

• No legal protection from retaliation

Misclassification = removal of safety infrastructure

3. Barriers to reporting are extreme

This is a major theme in these discussions.

RMTs often:

• Do not report assaults or harassment

• Minimize or normalize incidents

• Fear:

  • Losing their job/contract

  • Being labeled “difficult”

  • Damage to reputation

  • Losing patient base

There’s also:

• No clear reporting pathway

• Regulatory body not positioned as a worker safety resource

• Clinics may discourage reporting (explicitly or subtly)

The Outcome of Underreporting → illusion that the problem is smaller than it is

4. Lack of institutional support

After an incident, RMTs often experience:

• No debriefing or psychological support

• No legal guidance

• No workplace investigation

• No changes to prevent recurrence

In extreme cases:

• The practitioner may even be accused or blamed

• Left to navigate complaints or legal processes alone

This isn’t just unsafe, it’s actively harmful to workers.

5. Regulatory and structural gaps

There’s typically a critique of the system here:

• Regulatory bodies (e.g., College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC)

  • Focus on patient protection

  • Not structured to protect practitioners as workers

• No integration with:

  • WorkSafeBC

  • Labour standards enforcement

• Clinics operate in a grey zone:

  • Healthcare setting

  • But without healthcare-level workplace protections

The Result is thatRMTs fall between systems, regulated, but not protected.

6. Gendered and power dynamics

This is often explicitly addressed:

• Majority female workforce

• High rates of sexualized interactions or boundary violations

• Social conditioning to:

  • Be accommodating

  • Avoid conflict

  • Prioritize patient comfort

This increases vulnerability and suppresses reporting.

7. Psychological and career impact

The long-term effects highlighted typically include:

• Burnout

• Hypervigilance in practice

• Reduced career longevity

• Leaving the profession entirely

This ties directly into what I’ve been tracking > Workplace conditions → workforce attrition

🔗 Key Insight

If you take one thing from this article: Workplace violence in RMT practice is not just a safety issue, it is a labour classification and structural accountability issue. And it’s time for change.