She notices her anxiety as she walks into the room full of artists and clients. She’s asked to lie down on the cold, cling-film-wrapped table and take her top off. As the artist begins to place the stencil, he asks her to take off her bra. “Are you single?” he asks. She wonders if this is normal.
There is an air of toxic masculinity in many studios; brushes against the body, lingering stares and unprofessional comments. Predators often use their positions of power to prey on vulnerable young women. That is until 63 women and former employees, some of them as young as 15, came forward with stories of gross misconduct.
Another former employee added: “He was in his late-30s at this point, every single customer I had who was 18 or had just turned 18 he’d say ‘she was cute’. . Just last week, more scandal surrounding the Scottish tattoo industry emerged as a tattoo artist working for Rock ‘n’ Roll, a chain of studios across Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee, came out on Instagram with alleged evidence against her employer.
“Some people are in denial so even if this stuff happens to them, they will still defend the abuser, because that’s how abuse works.