Case highlights employer duty and rising concerns
Six former employees at the Red Barn at Mattick’s Farm near Victoria settled a class-action lawsuit for $750,000 after discovering they had been secretly recorded by a co-worker in the workplace washroom and change room. The settlement follows a 2021 guilty plea by a former assistant manager, who admitted to multiple counts of voyeurism and publishing intimate images without consent.
The case has drawn attention from harassment prevention advocates who say it underscores how seriously employers must take workplace safety and harassment prevention, especially when it comes to sexual misconduct and the non-consensual sharing of private images.
Co-worker installed cameras and shared recordings
According to court documents, between 2012 and 2014, the employee planted hidden cameras in the women’s bathroom and staff change room. Investigators found recordings of at least nine victims, including some teens, in various states of undress. Some of the footage was reportedly uploaded to an overseas website with victim names or students’ social media screenshots attached.
Plaintiffs described the workplace as having a “sexualized environment,” with inappropriate comments from managers. One former employee said complaints about exposing behaviour were dismissed and met with threats of disciplinary action, highlighting a culture that failed to protect staff.
Experts stress prevention and reporting
Stacey Forrester, a co-founder of Good Night Out Vancouver, said the case shows how multiple forms of victimization voyeurism, indecent exposure, image sharing without consent, and harassment can overlap. She pointed out that voyeurism is a criminal offence in Canada and that employers are legally required to maintain workplaces free from all forms of harassment and abuse.
Forrester added that workplaces need clear policies, training, and reporting structures so employees understand what behaviour is unacceptable and how to report it. Experts also note that technology-facilitated wrongdoing, including hidden cameras and online distribution of intimate images, is a growing concern.
Broader trends and prevention efforts
Recent data suggests police-reported incidents of non-consensual distribution of intimate images have grown in Canada since 2015, and voyeurism reports have risen significantly in B.C. over the past decade. Legal measures like the Intimate Images Protection Act passed in 2024 aim to help curb these trends, but advocates say education and stronger workplace protections remain essential.
The settlement and expert commentary have sparked wider discussion about how workplaces should respond to harassment, enforce safety policies, and support victims who come forward, particularly in situations where management may have previously ignored or downplayed concerns.
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