WATCH: Chinese medicine practitioner Kit Wong is out on bail after being charged with four counts of sexual assault. Tess van Straaten has the latest.
A 70-year-old Esquimalt man, who worked as an acupuncturist, massage therapist and Chinese medicine practitioner, is out on bail after being charged with four counts of sexual assault.
Wong, who is also a former Royal Canadian Navy engineer, is accused of historic sexual assaults dating back to 2005 and 2006 involving four female patients.
“I don’t have time to talk to you,” Wong told CHEK News outside his home on Thursday. “I have to meet with my lawyer, okay? Sorry, I have no time.”
Wong is well-known in Victoria’s Chinese community and a past president of the Victoria Consolidated Benevolent Association.
A year-long investigation was launched last year after police were contacted about the allegations.
“Through our partnership with the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre, we received a complaint and that’s when the investigation commenced,” says Det. Graeme Leblanc of the Victoria Police Department’s special victim’s unit.
Police are now asking for any other potential victims to come forward and support is available.
“Going to the police station can be very intimidating for survivors, so one of the options for survivors is they can report here at our centre, at the Victoria Sexual Assault Clinic, and police cane come here and it’s a confidential space,” says Carissa Ropponen Victoria Sexual Assault Centre. “We believe you and were are here to help you.”
Wong was disciplined by the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners over the allegations four years ago.
The College decided it was “necessary to take extraordinary action” in February of 2011, prohibiting Wong from being in the presence of a female patient without a chaperone present.
In 2014, the inquiry ruled Wong had committed professional misconduct with sexual intent by “touching the breasts and genitalia of female patients in a sexual nature” and his registration was revoked.
Wong is out on $5,000 bail with numerous conditions, including avoiding any contact with his alleged victims and being prohibited from treating patients for massage therapy or Chinese medicine.
His next court appearance is Sept. 10.
Tess van Straaten
