In the midst of a national wake-up call regarding the prevalence of sexual assault, a new report highlights hundreds of allegations of such violations against a chain of massage spas. As reported by BuzzFeed, Massage Envy has faced some 180 different allegations of sexual assault from customers of the franchise.
With nearly 1,200 locations across the country, a reported 1.65 million monthly members, and a 67% grasp on the day spa market, Massage Envy is a behemoth in both the franchise industry and in strip-mall massage therapy. Even with those astounding metrics, the hundreds of allegations of sexual assault should raise more than an eyebrow in review. Additionally, the reporting done by BuzzFeed, and the stories from the women who have come forward depict a company struggling to protect its customers in the face of these crimes.
Despite the difference in timing and location, the women’s stories all bear striking similarities. They were loyal customers — Massage Envy is based on a monthly membership model — who considered a trip to the spa as a welcome respite from their busy lives. In the midst of what seemed like a routine appointment, the women realized they were being assaulted and, when trying to report the crimes to police, found both local management reluctant to cooperate and a parent company reluctant to intervene.
Rather than referring reports within their spas to law enforcement, it appears there has been a pattern of attempting to respond to customers so they don’t call the police. As one former manager explained to BuzzFeed, “[The internal review policy is] in place to protect the company. It’s centered around defusing the situation so the client doesn’t call the police. You don’t want cop cars showing up at your location the next day.”
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The disturbing list of assaults and how the company has dealt with them makes one wonder if the franchise business operation — a model mostly associated with fast-food joints and dry cleaners — is well suited for a business that relies on employees laying their hands on customers’ bodies. A lawyer who has filed a number of lawsuits against Massage Envy, Adam Horowitz, points out to BuzzFeed that the massage business has built-in risks.
“Just like there was opportunity in the priesthood,” says Horowitz, “there’s opportunity in the massage room. When you get a massage, your guard is down completely. You’re not expecting to be violated.” In response, however, representatives of Massage Envy point out that all therapists undergo background checks.
It’s important to recognize that many if not most of these cases aren’t mere allegations. Despite lack of cooperation from Massage Envy corporate, victims have filed charges and assault perpetrators have been found guilty and convicted.
In the case of Susan Ingram, a Pennsylvania woman assaulted in 2015, the therapist James Deiter was sentenced to up to 13 years for assaulting her and eight other women. When arrested, he reportedly admitted that he “needed help.”
While the corporate entity has never had to appear in any court proceedings for sexual assault cases, the upcoming case for Susan Ingram may change that. In an attempt to hold the company more accountable for its policies and procedures, she and seven other women are taking Massage Envy to court. A trial is set for this January. “Massage Envy is a partner in crime,” says Ingram. “They had every opportunity, on multiple occasions, to remove [Deiter] from his position, and they chose not to.”
Source: Yahoo
