Oxford yoga teachers call for stricter regulation

Laura Hancock of the Yoga Teachers Union

Yoga teachers are calling for stricter regulation after they said a world of inappropriate touching, sexual assault and grooming is lurking within it.

The Yoga Teachers' Union was set up in Oxford to support members and provide a place where inappropriate behaviour can be reported and shared.

Laura Hancock, a member of the union, said she has changed and adapted how she works because of illegal behaviour.

She said she has taken 39 reports from yoga teachers nationally.

"It's ranged from grooming and coercion to far, far worse," she said.

"I don't have my phone number on any website, I took it down. I've had to change my phone number three times. I've reported stalking on three occasions. I've had to really change and adapt how I work."

The union said nearly half of its members have reported some sort of sexual harassment since February.

Katie Gordon of Everybody Studio

"We want clear escalation and reporting mechanisms. We want sexual harassment policies in every venue and we want awarding bodies to make sexual harassment and consent training mandatory," Ms Hancock added.

Katie Gordon, who runs Everybody Studios in Oxford said there is little support available to yoga studio owners and teachers.

"We have our processes that we refer people to. When incidents have happened in the past - not necessarily in the studio but in the community - then we have reached out to the union and other people that we know. But it would be great if there was a more robust procedure to follow," she said.

Diana O'Reilly, from the British Wheel of Yoga, said it was in the process of putting the details of its safeguarding officer online so that anyone can get in touch.