Mary Alexander Notifies Massage Abuse Survivors of Steps to Take Following Abuse
Mary Alexander, founding principal at Mary Alexander & Associates, notifies massage abuse survivors of the necessary steps to take following abuse at a massage location.
In recent years, there has been a notable increase in massage abuse allegations and reports by survivors who visited massage facilities across the nation. Mary has represented numerous survivors in cases of massage abuse and understands the courage it takes for these survivors to come forward in search of justice.
In an attempt to aid survivors going through a massage abuse report or incident, Mary recommends the following steps to take as soon as they are ready:
- Seem medical assistance.
- Notify police or other law enforcement in the city where the massage occurred.
- Notify the Department of Health or other licensing agency in the state where the massage therapist is licensed.
- Contact a therapist.
- Contact a knowledgeable massage abuse attorney.
Notifying law enforcement about the assault in full detail is important so that the massage therapist can be exposed and held criminally responsible where appropriate. A high burden of proof is present in criminal cases. Getting the report on record can assist in costing the therapist his job and preventing him from committing further abuse.
It is important to remember that it is not the survivor’s fault for not immediately reporting the incident. Processing the events that took place will be difficult in itself, in most jurisdictions the Department of Health or Board of Massage therapy will commence an investigation of the massage therapist upon receiving a sexual assault allegation. They are authorized to impose a variety of remedies such as removing licenses, suspensions, and public reprimands to convicted massage therapists.
Contacting a therapist is crucial to a survivor’s mental and physical health following a traumatic experience. Feelings of anxiety, stress, fear, depression, or restlessness make it all the more difficult to adjust or cope. Survivors of sexual trauma may experience Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). While it is natural to have some of these symptoms after a traumatic event, if they last more than a few weeks and become an ongoing problem, it might be PTSD.
“No one should feel alone or confused after experiencing such traumatic experiences at the hands of licensed massage professionals,”
said Mary Alexander.
“My clients and many abuse survivors across the nation gave these massage facilities their trust and the facilities in-turn jeopardized and violated their well-being. I hope these recommendations provide survivors with some form of solace amidst their pain.”
