Woman Plants A Camera To Catch Her Touchy Gym Instructor In The Act – Gets Him Fired
A woman who had reportedly been groped at her gym in a distressingly regular occurrence finally managed to catch it on film.
The 22-year-old fitness enthusiast who calls herself Fern was recording herself doing squats when a man sexually assaulted her from behind, touching her buttocks.
Another person passed through the camera’s view surrounding the incident but did nothing to help.
Fern shared the video on her TikTok account and it quickly went viral.
@fernvillacerancaught in 4k📷 please idk what to do, he always doing this :/ #fyp #gym #rude #gymstaff♬ original sound – Fern🦋
Image credits: fernvillaceran
Image credits: fernvillaceran
In a series of follow-up videos, Fern explained that she’s been harassed before, which allegedly includes the same man at her gym. After receiving accusations that the whole thing was staged, Fern tearfully clarified that the man is neither her husband nor her boyfriend and that he’s been seen in some of her videos before because he actually worked there.
“I already talked to the owner about this,” Fern said, adding that it “wasn’t enough.”
There were, however, a number of commenters that fiercely supported the TikToker, defending her from the people who claim the video was staged and pointing out that similar things are commonly experienced by women at gyms all over the world.
“So what if it’s staged?” one TikTok user asked. “This happens in real life, filmed or not, now go cry about it boys.”
“Don’t ask why she’s filming while working out or y she didn’t respond or if she didn’t know how to,” another one added. “NO MATTER THE SCENARIO KEEP YOUR HANDS TO YOURSELF.”
Some people were saying it’s staged
But others defended her
There is a range of behaviors that constitutes harassment. According to Dr. Bianca Fileborn of the University of Melbourne, “staring at someone, making sexualized comments, trying to engage someone in unwanted conversation or touching someone without their consent” definitely belong to it.
Fileborn told The Guardian that it’s common for women to modify their behavior to avoid their harassers: they will only go to the gym at certain times or avoid areas such as the weights section, which is typically male-dominated.
We need to do better, guys.
Later, the woman uploaded a few follow-up videos to paint a more detailed picture of the situation
Image credits: fernvillaceran
@fernvillaceran♬ original sound – Fern🦋
Image credits: fernvillaceran
@fernvillaceran♬ original sound – Fern🦋
Image credits: fernvillaceran
Image credits: fernvillaceran
Image credits: fernvillaceran
Eventually, the man was fired
@fernvillaceranReply to @fernvillaceran it has been solved! :) #fyppppppppppppppppppppppp♬ original sound – Fern🦋
Image credits: fernvillaceran
Ew. So gross that there are instructors like that. It's so sad that women have resorted to women-only gyms.
It's even more gross how many men thought this didn't happen
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All instructors at my gym (men and women) ask for permission to touch when they try to show us the exercise or to correct our pose
Good for her! The guy is a creep and the only reason he worked where he did was to have access to women so he could assault them. And yes. Under the law, ANY unwanted contact is considered assault.
Exactly! He should be charged and thrown in prison for what he did.
Load More Replies... One of these comments ask “why didn’t you fight back”. Urgh. WAY too many women are asked this question. All that does is make the person being harassed feel like they have done something wrong. There was a time in my life where I was harassed, pretty persistently. Back then I was very shy and very insecure (so, a perfect target, really). Once I finally sought help I got asked why I didn’t say anything to the, for lack of a better word, bullies. Know what that did? It made me more shy and more insecure but also added the guilt that I had done something wrong. When someone speaks out about something like this the LAST thing you should do is question them on why they didn’t do more to prevent or change it.
It's victim blaming/shaming. It's disgusting and extremely prevalent.
Load More Replies...
I can't tell you how many times my ass has been touched and grabbed in public. Even the beginning of the video, seeing her position with her butt facing out, gave me a moment of discomfort. I would always try to face my butt toward the wall in situations like this. It's not okay that women should have to think all the time about this, she should be free to do her workout without worry about harassment.
If I saw that I'd be calling that guy out in front of everyone. Or grabbing his hand to break his fingers..that s**t is not okay and for those of you calling it staged, you've never been harassed have you?
Those calling it staged are likely perpetrators of harassment themselves and that’s why they’re trying so hard to discredit the victim.
Load More Replies...
What makes people think it's ok to do that? She have turned around and kicked him so hard in the balls he'd be talking with a high voice forever.
And that's when he escalates to waiting for her when she leaves and making her life REALLY unpleasant. There's a saying "Men are afraid women will laugh at them, women are afraid men will kill them". This is why we don't on the whole use violence against those men who use violence against us. We'll lose that battle.
Load More Replies...
Wow.. women can’t even work out at a gym in peace.
Where's the part about him being reported to police? "Violated the rules of management" is what this is called?!?
I think there may be a confidentiality policy that prevents them from disclosing details such as "he sexually harassed people" or "he's been arrested." Going into specifics could land them in hot water.
Load More Replies...
"this is staged, this is a joke video" f*ck those idiots! I would like that a man touches their butt and see if they have the courage to film it an show it to the world.
Like the typical creep, he just quickly passes by, places his hand on her behind, and doesn’t stop but speeds off. So, it isn’t even done in the context of an instructor making sure a student is balancing and lifting correctly—-for which permission should be asked for before the touch anyway, to prevent injury (and for which I believe his hands would not be on her behind but on either side of her hips as a way of showing her the correct alignment in the mirror). Thirty years ago, (yeah, this isn’t a new thing) I had something similar happen when I worked in a library, with someone who would act like he was swinging his arms while walking down the aisles when my female coworkers (never hall ended to the guys, of course) and I were putting books back on the shelves, and “accidentally” brush his hand on our behinds. Even when we saw him coming and moved well out of the way of his arms, he’d just adjust his path and swing close enough to us for his hand to make contact. He was reported, and told to leave and not to come back.
I love the comment "Women need to learn how to react to things like this" Ok so, we have proof and you believe it is happening, but it's still our fault for not reacting properly. Alright. Cool.
Bruh... women can't even work out at gyms without catching unwanted looks and/or touches? Come on, society. People have stooped so low.
My question is why do men think they can can away with this behavior, what gives the ones who do this the sense that they can indulge in this behavior. They need a charge or some type of action. Or they need some type of behavioral management class and complete it in order to clear the charge along with other binding stipulations.
They’re not thinking. They lack intellect and lack manhood for behaving that way towards women and girls. Anyone with intellect would understand the concept of fairness. So just like the male doesn’t want anyone to touch him without his consent, then fairly he wouldn’t touch others without their consent. And yeah, such males should be charged and have their parents and their parents’ neighbors alerted about his behavior, so that his reputation of being a sick male gets spread.
Load More Replies...
here is something that EVERY PERSON should know, doesn't matter if you are a man, woman, child, non-binary, trans, black, EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW! this is why we need to TEACH CHILDREN to keep their god dang hands to themselves and explain WHY! because if we don't stuff like this will happen, and what will they say, EXCUSES! teach children first, teach men to keep it in their pants, their hands to themselves! thank you
What a creep! Firing him wasn’t enough. She should have pressed charges. He’s a predator plain and simple
I used to work in the weight room at a YMCA, no way would anyone get away with this. We had members suspended for constantly leering at women.
Staged or not, I've seen this happen in gyms before. We even told a girl it was not ok, she was a newbie and thought it was normal.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… —————————— :::::::::::::::::::he gets what he deserves
There are Doctors like that Go in with a sore toe, has to listen to your heart- has to side up the bra to do it, told him if he tried it again, He would be close enough for me to grab, twist and yank his balls. 'nuff said! (ok how many minuses do I get)
the instructor is an asshole and f****r who did tjis crime. he should be jailed for raping a girl
this is y i choose yoga over a gym only ppl i have to worry about touching me r the dog licking my face or my husband bc he thinks i look good in yoga pants lol
Be careful, women have literally been killed for less...
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You're blaming the victim for being harassed and assaulted, you are very much being cruel. He had no right to put his hands on her without consent, period.
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No one does this? People have touched my butt and I'm 12. You're probably a man.
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More like professional bot-ish type text message...? They're not going to text you like a friend
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Is that your best effort? Are you living in 1980? Pathetic.
Load More Replies...
Women are not being touched inappropriately all over the world??? Innocent women are touched, cat called, assaulted, threatened, and killed every single day around the world. Get our from under your rock.
Load More Replies... Ew. So gross that there are instructors like that. It's so sad that women have resorted to women-only gyms.
It's even more gross how many men thought this didn't happen
Load More Replies... All instructors at my gym (men and women) ask for permission to touch when they try to show us the exercise or to correct our pose
Good for her! The guy is a creep and the only reason he worked where he did was to have access to women so he could assault them. And yes. Under the law, ANY unwanted contact is considered assault.
Exactly! He should be charged and thrown in prison for what he did.
Load More Replies... One of these comments ask “why didn’t you fight back”. Urgh. WAY too many women are asked this question. All that does is make the person being harassed feel like they have done something wrong. There was a time in my life where I was harassed, pretty persistently. Back then I was very shy and very insecure (so, a perfect target, really). Once I finally sought help I got asked why I didn’t say anything to the, for lack of a better word, bullies. Know what that did? It made me more shy and more insecure but also added the guilt that I had done something wrong. When someone speaks out about something like this the LAST thing you should do is question them on why they didn’t do more to prevent or change it.
It's victim blaming/shaming. It's disgusting and extremely prevalent.
Load More Replies... I can't tell you how many times my ass has been touched and grabbed in public. Even the beginning of the video, seeing her position with her butt facing out, gave me a moment of discomfort. I would always try to face my butt toward the wall in situations like this. It's not okay that women should have to think all the time about this, she should be free to do her workout without worry about harassment.
If I saw that I'd be calling that guy out in front of everyone. Or grabbing his hand to break his fingers..that s**t is not okay and for those of you calling it staged, you've never been harassed have you?
Those calling it staged are likely perpetrators of harassment themselves and that’s why they’re trying so hard to discredit the victim.
Load More Replies... What makes people think it's ok to do that? She have turned around and kicked him so hard in the balls he'd be talking with a high voice forever.
And that's when he escalates to waiting for her when she leaves and making her life REALLY unpleasant. There's a saying "Men are afraid women will laugh at them, women are afraid men will kill them". This is why we don't on the whole use violence against those men who use violence against us. We'll lose that battle.
Load More Replies... Wow.. women can’t even work out at a gym in peace.
Where's the part about him being reported to police? "Violated the rules of management" is what this is called?!?
I think there may be a confidentiality policy that prevents them from disclosing details such as "he sexually harassed people" or "he's been arrested." Going into specifics could land them in hot water.
Load More Replies... "this is staged, this is a joke video" f*ck those idiots! I would like that a man touches their butt and see if they have the courage to film it an show it to the world.
Like the typical creep, he just quickly passes by, places his hand on her behind, and doesn’t stop but speeds off. So, it isn’t even done in the context of an instructor making sure a student is balancing and lifting correctly—-for which permission should be asked for before the touch anyway, to prevent injury (and for which I believe his hands would not be on her behind but on either side of her hips as a way of showing her the correct alignment in the mirror). Thirty years ago, (yeah, this isn’t a new thing) I had something similar happen when I worked in a library, with someone who would act like he was swinging his arms while walking down the aisles when my female coworkers (never hall ended to the guys, of course) and I were putting books back on the shelves, and “accidentally” brush his hand on our behinds. Even when we saw him coming and moved well out of the way of his arms, he’d just adjust his path and swing close enough to us for his hand to make contact. He was reported, and told to leave and not to come back.
I love the comment "Women need to learn how to react to things like this" Ok so, we have proof and you believe it is happening, but it's still our fault for not reacting properly. Alright. Cool.
Bruh... women can't even work out at gyms without catching unwanted looks and/or touches? Come on, society. People have stooped so low.
My question is why do men think they can can away with this behavior, what gives the ones who do this the sense that they can indulge in this behavior. They need a charge or some type of action. Or they need some type of behavioral management class and complete it in order to clear the charge along with other binding stipulations.
They’re not thinking. They lack intellect and lack manhood for behaving that way towards women and girls. Anyone with intellect would understand the concept of fairness. So just like the male doesn’t want anyone to touch him without his consent, then fairly he wouldn’t touch others without their consent. And yeah, such males should be charged and have their parents and their parents’ neighbors alerted about his behavior, so that his reputation of being a sick male gets spread.
Load More Replies... here is something that EVERY PERSON should know, doesn't matter if you are a man, woman, child, non-binary, trans, black, EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW! this is why we need to TEACH CHILDREN to keep their god dang hands to themselves and explain WHY! because if we don't stuff like this will happen, and what will they say, EXCUSES! teach children first, teach men to keep it in their pants, their hands to themselves! thank you
What a creep! Firing him wasn’t enough. She should have pressed charges. He’s a predator plain and simple
I used to work in the weight room at a YMCA, no way would anyone get away with this. We had members suspended for constantly leering at women.
Staged or not, I've seen this happen in gyms before. We even told a girl it was not ok, she was a newbie and thought it was normal.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… —————————— :::::::::::::::::::he gets what he deserves
There are Doctors like that Go in with a sore toe, has to listen to your heart- has to side up the bra to do it, told him if he tried it again, He would be close enough for me to grab, twist and yank his balls. 'nuff said! (ok how many minuses do I get)
the instructor is an asshole and f****r who did tjis crime. he should be jailed for raping a girl
this is y i choose yoga over a gym only ppl i have to worry about touching me r the dog licking my face or my husband bc he thinks i look good in yoga pants lol
Be careful, women have literally been killed for less...
Load More Replies... You're blaming the victim for being harassed and assaulted, you are very much being cruel. He had no right to put his hands on her without consent, period.
Load More Replies... No one does this? People have touched my butt and I'm 12. You're probably a man.
Load More Replies... More like professional bot-ish type text message...? They're not going to text you like a friend
Load More Replies... Is that your best effort? Are you living in 1980? Pathetic.
Load More Replies... Women are not being touched inappropriately all over the world??? Innocent women are touched, cat called, assaulted, threatened, and killed every single day around the world. Get our from under your rock.
Load More Replies...
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