9 Sexual Misconduct Reports By CT Massage Therapists In Two Years

It currently appears none of Connecticut's 15 Massage Envy locations were involved in the over 180 allegations of sexual misconduct by the chain's massage therapists following a bombshell report by Buzzfeed. However, the state has received nine complaints of sexual misconduct by licensed massage therapists since 2015.

The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) issues licenses to massage therapists in the Nutmeg State, but does not license spas. According to Maura Downes of the DPH, there have been nine complaints of sexual misconduct against massage therapists since the beginning of 2015. Just three of those cases resulted in voluntary surrendering of licenses.

Two of the three cases involving disciplinary action took place in 2015, and one took place in June of this year. Three reports were made in 2015 and four were made in 2016. All four of the 2016 reports were found to be unsubstantiated, as well as one of the 2015 reports. Another report in 2017 remains under investigation.

The Buzzfeed report says one woman, Susan Ingram, told police her massage therapist inserted his fingers into her vagina, groped her, and rubbed himself against her at a massage envy in Pennsylvania. The next year, the therapist pleaded guilty to molesting nine women at Massage Envy.

But according to the report, in places where it is not required by law, Massage Envy "does not compel its franchisees to notify law enforcement," even in cases of rape. In an email to BuzzFeed, a lawyer for Massage Envy said: "We hold franchise owners accountable to our policies and, when we say nothing is more important to us than treating clients with respect and giving them a safe, professional experience, we mean it."

However, a woman who claimed she was assaulted at a Massage Envy in Virginia said the way the chain handled the situation was 'traumatizing.' The woman started a petition demanding Massage Envy support victims that are sexually assaulted at their spas.

"I immediately reported the assault and told the manager on duty that we needed to call the police. She told me that was not necessary because Massage Envy would handle it internally. They refused to allow me to get on the phone with the supervisor. That person did call the next day – to tell me that they understood that I was “unhappy with my massage experience”, so they would not charge me for the massage.

I never heard from anyone at Massage Envy ever again. Not through the 11 months of the trial and court proceedings. Not when their employee admitted to everything and was convicted of a felony sexual assault. Not one person from Massage Envy, not from the local franchise or the national Massage Envy corporation, ever checked in with me to see how I was doing, or to apologize for what happened to me when I was at their national establishment. In fact, I continue to get advertisements in the mail for the local Massage Envy where I was assaulted."

Ingram's civil suit may be the first time Massage Envy has to answer a victim of sexual assault at one of its spas in open court, BuzzFeed reports.

Here is the list of every Massage Envy franchise in Connecticut, according to the company's website:

• Brookfield
• Canton
• Cromwell
• Fairfield
• Farmington
• Glastonbury
• Hamden
• Milford
• Monroe
• Norwalk
• South Windsor
• Southbury
• Stamford
• West Hartford
• Westport

You can read the full BuzzFeed report here

Watch Now: Sexual Misconduct Widespread At Massage Chain

Image of Massage Envy in Norwell MA courtesy of Google Maps