An investigation into alleged voyeurism is being conducted at Grand Canyon National Park/NPS file
Federal agents are investigating an alleged 2020 case of voyeurism at Grand Canyon National Park in which women using restrooms at and near Phantom Ranch thought they were being video recorded to determine how widespread the incident might have been.
According to an Interior Department release issued Wednesday evening, a maintenance worker thought to have been involved in the matter was fired and removed from the park. During the past year, the agents have been working to identify the scope of the suspect’s activity.
"At this time, there is no indication that these images were shared or distributed by the suspect. This remains an active and open criminal matter," the release said. "At the same time, the department is conducting an internal review."
For years officials at the park have been trying to eliminate harassment -- sexual, racial, age-related, gender -- from the workforce.
In January 2016, a report released by Interior's Office of Inspector General said that for roughly 15 years life deep in the Inner Gorge of the Grand Canyon at times reflected rowdy, sexually charged scenes from a frat party for some park employees, with male employees pawing and propositioning female workers, some of who at times exhibited their own risqué behavior.
In the current matter, agents are asking "[I]f you or someone you know used the toilets at Indian Garden along the Bright Angel Trail on the north side of Phantom Ranch, or at the Bright Angel Campground, between November 2018 and September 2020, you are encouraged to reach out to investigators by calling (928) 318-8770 or by filling out a secure and confidential online form on the FBI's NPS webpage to determine if you may be a victim. Victims may be eligible for certain services and rights under federal and/or state law."
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National Parks Traveler, I am DEEPLY disappointed in your reporting on events from 2016 in this piece.
You wrote the following:
"For roughly 15 years life deep in the Inner Gorge of the Grand Canyon at times reflected rowdy, sexually charged scenes from a frat party for some park employees, with male employees pawing and propositioning female workers, some of who at times exhibited their own risque behavior."
The way this sentance is written appears to equivocate "risque behavior" with harassment, assault, and unwatned advances and smacks of victim-blaming. This is simply wrong. It is a false equivalency of the highest order and intentionally diminishes the harassment and assault that repeated occurred on the river. One of these actions is illegal, perpetrated by people in a position of power over others. The other is not. I urge you to consider rewriting this piece to address this damaging narrative.