Philadelphia Massage & Spa Assault Lawyer
Do you need help? Call Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan and let us guide and inform you of your options.
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Many of us schedule a massage at a local spa, hoping to destress. Unfortunately, some individuals leave what’s supposed to be an opportunity to relax and unwind, feeling violated instead. Why does this happen? It occurs because the person they believed was a licensed professional engaged in non-consensual sexual conduct toward them.
If there’s one detail each Philadelphia massage & spa assault lawyer on our team wants you to know, it’s that what happened to you is unlawful, and you have rights after illegal activity such as this occurs. We also want you to know that you’re not alone.
In the past few years, in particular, our law firm, Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan, has represented countless individuals like yourself who went in for a massage and were subjected to unwanted treatment. We also want to help you if the same happened to you. It doesn’t cost you anything to speak with our attorneys for an initial consultation, so reach out to us now.
“Our trauma informed attorneys who specialize in representing sexual assault survivors are proud to represent each and every one of our clients. The brave survivors who have come forward to speak their truth are always treated with dignity, respect and empathy. Fighting to obtain justice for survivors is what we do with confidence, passion and dedication.”
Guy D’Andrea, Co-Managing Partner
What Is Considered a Sexual Assault During a Massage?
The truth is that any type of undesired, non-consensual sexual contact that occurs while you’re in a massage session may rise to the level of abuse or assault, including your therapist:
- Kissing or hugging
- Demanding the removal of clothing
- Making sexually suggested statements or noises
- Fondling or rubbing of the breasts, butt, or genitalia
- Sexually charged behavior, such as making passes or advances
- Rape
Whether you’ve been subjected to the treatment discussed above or something else, our attorneys can provide you with a confidential, safe space to share what happened with us so we can determine if you have a pursuable claim and, if so, advise you of the next best steps you can take to hold liable parties accountable for their actions.
Meet Our Attorneys
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540Guy D’Andrea Guy D’AndreaAreas of Practice
- Boarding School Abuse Cases
- Bullying & Hazing Cases
- Clergy Abuse Cases
- Personal Injury
- School Abuse Cases
- Sexual Assault
- Shooting, Homicide & Assault Cases
- Victims of Crime
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541Stewart Ryan Stewart Ryan -
1540Alexandria MacMaster Alexandria MacMasterAreas of Practice
- Boarding School Abuse Cases
- Bullying & Hazing Cases
- Clergy Abuse Cases
- Personal Injury
- School Abuse Cases
- Sexual Assault
- Shooting, Homicide & Assault Cases
- Victims of Crime
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1538Michael McFarland Michael McFarlandAreas of Practice
- Boarding School Abuse Cases
- Bullying & Hazing Cases
- Clergy Abuse Cases
- Personal Injury
- School Abuse Cases
- Sexual Assault
- Shooting, Homicide & Assault Cases
- Victims of Crime
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11959Alexandra Stulpin Alexandra StulpinAreas of Practice
- Boarding School Abuse Cases
- Bullying & Hazing Cases
- Clergy Abuse Cases
- Personal Injury
- School Abuse Cases
- Sexual Assault
- Victims of Crime
How Common Are Sexual Assaults at Massage Studios and Spas?
Statistics regarding the incidence rate of sexually abusive behavior by massage therapists are not widely available. However, based on the increased publicity of situations like this in the media and the uptick in nationwide massage sexual abuse cases we’ve seen over the years at our firm, we know that this practice, unfortunately, happens more often than most would think.
Long-Term Impacts of Being Subjected to Unwanted Sexual Contact
The ill effects a sexual assault or abuse can have on a victim can be long-lasting. While you may have some immediate physical signs of trauma like soreness, lacerations, or bruising depending on the nature of the treatment you endured, the mental health impact this type of unwanted treatment can have on individuals is often what’s hard for victims to shake. It’s not uncommon for individuals sexually abused by their massage therapists in Philadelphia to:
- Distrust others
- Develop anxiety in being alone with others
- Begin having feelings of post-traumatic stress disorder, especially in intimate settings
- Become socially withdrawn and depressed
- Develop low self-esteem
- Receive eating disorder diagnoses
- Experience sudden mood changes
The list is endless for how a massage therapy professional breaching the trust of a patient can adversely impact their emotional well-being, leading to adverse consequences in the long term.
What To Do If a Massage Therapist Acted Inappropriately Toward You
There are a few steps you can take if you believe that the treatment you received from a massage therapist went a little too far.
First and foremost, you may want to head to a medical facility to have a rape kit performed on you if there’s a chance that any bodily fluids proving your allegations are on your body. Not only could it aid law enforcement in deciding whether to arrest that person for a crime, but it could also help in proving liability in a civil case.
Next, you may want to:
- Report it to the management or ownership of the facility where they work
- Reach out to your local law enforcement agency, such as the Philadelphia Police Department, to make a report of what happened
- File a complaint with the State Board of Massage Therapy through the Pennsylvania Licensing System (PALS)
- Contact a Philadelphia massage & spa assault lawyer for guidance on the next best steps to take
Why might you reach out to an attorney? It comes down to minimizing the chance of evidence providing liability being destroyed. Although it’s unlawful to do so, any potentially responsible parties may attempt to do away with evidence if you raise concerns about what happened.
Our attorneys are very familiar with these tactics and other tactics that responsible parties engage in to deny liability for what happened. So, even if you still opt to report the incident to supervisors at the spa, the police, or the board, be sure to contact us at Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan very soon thereafter to aid you in preserving evidence critical to proving your case.
Results That Make a Difference
What Rights Do I Have If I've Been Sexually Assaulted at a Spa or Massage Salon?
Just because you go in for a relaxing massage doesn’t mean that you’re making yourself available to the therapist to do whatever they want to do for you. If something inappropriate, such as a sexual assault, occurred during your session, Pennsylvania law entitles you to not only take legal action against the person directly responsible for harming you but also potentially their employer.
Taking legal action generally involves you filing a civil lawsuit against the perpetrator and perhaps their employer, especially if you can show that negligent hiring practices led to you and the massage therapist having the misfortune of coming in contact with one another.
Damages You Can Recover in a Massage Therapist Sexual Assault Case
As someone sexually abused by a bodywork professional, you may have a number of losses you can seek compensation for by filing a personal injury lawsuit, including:
- Medical bills, such as an emergency room visit
- Mental health counseling
- Mental anguish or emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
You can expect any Philadelphia massage and spa assault attorney you speak with in our office to be able to assess the bills you’ve incurred so far and ones you may in the future, along with other ways you’ve been impacted during your meeting with them. This way, you’ll have a better idea of the financial compensation you may be entitled to by filing a lawsuit.
Entrust Your Massage Sexual Abuse Case to Attorneys Who Take on Big Players in the Industry
While we wouldn’t want anyone to face inappropriate sexual contact from someone else if this has, unfortunately, happened to you, you deserve to be represented by the best legal counsel who won’t let anything stop them from pursuing justice on your behalf.
You can trust us to have your back until the bitter end here at Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan. See, over the years, we’ve represented hundreds of massage therapy clients who were subjected to sex abuse during their sessions. And it’s important to note that these sexual assaults didn’t happen at some seedy, back-alley massage parlor in Philadelphia, but what are supposed to be establishments staffed by licensed professionals.
In fact, in 2017, we shared an article discussing how our law firm sued Massage Envy on behalf of multiple sex assault victims. We’ve also successfully litigated cases against Hand & Stone and other independently owned spas and are prepared to take legal action against any other well-known massage studios in and around Philadelphia if warranted, including:
- Zen Massage
- Elements Therapeutic Massage
- MassageLuXe
- LaVida Massage
- Healing Hand
- Massage Heights
So, whether a masseuse employed at one of the facilities highlighted above sexually abused you or someone at another facility did, reach out to us to discuss your potential case and explore your rights.
We don’t charge you anything for that initial case review, and we don’t assess attorney’s fees until we secure a settlement for you. The time you have to take action is quickly winding down, so contact us to speak with a Philadelphia massage & spa assault lawyer now.
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
1100 Ludlow Street, Suite 300
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
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