A massage therapist at the downtown Hollywood, Florida franchise of Massage Envy is the latest massage therapist accused of sexual misconduct on a female client. According to a report on WSVN, a South Florida woman was looking to get a relaxing massage, but instead — she says she got sexually violated by her therapist.
According to the client, she removed her clothing and covered herself with a sheet before her massage therapist came into the room. She says not long after the massage started, he started complimenting her appearance. The woman reports that the therapist then recommended a “Thai massage” to relieve tightness. Moments later, she says he got on top of her. The client stated, “I feel his body weight go forward on me, on my back. And then I feel his breathing, kind of like over my neck area. Two seconds, three seconds … I feel him, just basically getting an erection over my tailbone. When I felt him get the erection, I knew something was wrong.” The client was frightened at what would happen next but managed to escape from the therapist.
All massage therapist in Florida are licensed by the Florida Department of Health. Other states have similar licensing boards. If your massage therapist makes any sexual contact with you, it is a violation of professional ethics and may be a crime. In addition to reporting misconduct to law enforcement, if this incident occurs in Florida you can also lodge a complaint with the Department of Health at this website: https://www.flhealthcomplaint.gov
If you have a been a victim of sexual assault in a spa or during a massage, or if you know someone who has, please contact our law firm at (954) 641-2100 or send an email to sexual abuse lawyer Adam Horowitz at [email protected]