VICTORIA -- WARNING:This story contains graphic sexual content

For the second time this week, a Victoria tattoo studio is announcing it has fired an employee due to claims of sexual assault.

Painted Lotus Studios released a statement on its social media platforms on Tuesday, July 7th, saying the company had terminated Corey Lyon and that it supports the work of Victim's Voices Canada, where a post was made claiming Lyon had sexually abused a client.

Artist Dave Hadden was also terminated this week from Carne Tattoo following allegations of sexual assault.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

At Painted Lotus we have worked hard to promote a safe space for all our clients. Our trust and the trust of our clients was broken, and we deeply regret this. We failed to keep you safe. We are in shock. We hope for everyone’s sake that this was an isolated incident, but cannot in good conscience stand by Corey’s actions. He is no longer employed at Painted Lotus. We are grateful for, and stand by the work that @victims_voices_canada does giving a platform for victims to be heard. This is an industry with a long history of toxic behaviour that has been swept under the rug. We want to support survivors and prevent abuse wherever possible. As a female-owned and predominantly female employed shop, we take this subject VERY seriously. As survivors and friends of survivors ourselves, this has been difficult and triggering processing our emotions. We thank you for your patience in allowing us time to address this in a way we hope will promote healing and growth. We wish to proceed as a business that protects and empowers its clients. If we have failed you, we are so sorry. We will be making changes to our policies to address the ways in which client safety was not upheld to the standards we strive for. We welcome your voices in how we can do better. To the poster: We truly understand how hard it is to speak up about these issues, and if healing is possible we would be grateful to assist in yours however we can, anonymously if that’s your preference.

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The post in question, made anonymously a day after Painted Lotus's post, says the artist was examining her for an under breast tattoo when he picked her up and put her on his table.

"That's when the little lightbulb in my head went on and I realized this was sexual. This was close to another particularly traumatizing sexual assault experience so I froze up and allowed everything else that happened to happen including aggressive oral sex."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Aggressor: Corey Lyon

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Lotus Tattoo said they were shocked by the allegations.

"We hope for everyone's sake that this was an isolated incident, but cannot in good conscience stand by Corey's actions. He is no longer employed at Painted Lotus. We are grateful for, and stand by the work that Victims Voices Canada does giving a platform for victims to be heard. This is an industry with a long history of toxic behaviour that has been swept under the rug. We want to support survivors and prevent abuse wherever possible."

Another poster on Victims Voices Canada claims Lyon was also inappropriate with her.

"The incident with Corey Lyon is not an isolated one. I was tattooed by him a few years ago and the entire experience was uncomfortable for me. The tattoo I was getting was on the back of my arm so I was laying down while getting it done. Corey continuously ran his hands up and down my back and the backs of my thighs and at certain points would rest his hand on my butt. Throughout out the tattoo he kept calling me baby girl and sweetheart and repeatedly asked if I was single."

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

TRIGGER WARNING ⚠️ Aggressor: COREY LYON Please note that he has been fired by Painted Lotus

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In an email to CFAX 1070, the owner of Painted Lotus said they are focusing on the mental health of their clientele, studio and staff.

"The damage caused by abusers traumatizes their victims, and from this experience, we know it also goes beyond that. Our entire community is damaged, families torn apart, and the sacred professional trusts between artist and client have been broken. We hope that the current whistleblowing movement gives victims a voice and a chance to heal first and foremost. For those seeing these accounts from the outside, we hope it creates more opportunity for accountability and self-assessment in our industry. As tattooers, we can all do better to create a place of trust and safety. We are humbled by every human who allows us to work with them everyday. The trust they extend to us is deserving of the utmost respect and we will continue to evolve with this as our focus."

Lyon has not been charged and none of the allegations have been tested in court.

Corey Lyon could not be reached for comment at this time of this publication .