04/12/2026
In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, our team at Ink Monkey would like to bring attention to a dark and seldomly spoken about issues in the industry.
If you’ve ever attempted to get an apprenticeship, been tattooed, or hung in a shop for long enough you may have noticed the very blurred lines between joking banter and pure sexual harassment.
Predatory mentors using the aspirations of young artists and piercers for sexual favors or relationships. Artists crossing a professional boundary with clients over social media or even in the chair. Artists and clients forgetting that a welcoming and friendly environment is not equated to welcome romantic advances.
We have experienced firsthand how common harassment and blurred boundaries used to be—from clients, coworkers, and even mentors.
It has gotten better. A lot better.
But it hasn’t disappeared.
That’s why creating a space built on respect, clear boundaries, and professionalism matters so much to our team! Especially as a female owned shop.
At Ink Monkey Tattoo, we are committed to making sure everyone who walks through our doors feels safe, respected, and in control of their experience. If you’ve ever felt unsafe or like your current artist doesn’t understand the importance of these topics, we would love to take you in, no questions asked.
