Attention Buttons Help Protect Massage Clients

A version of this article appeared in the May/June 2023 issue of Massage & Bodywork. It has been updated and revised for this blog.

 

 

Sexual Assault in a Massage Context

 

In 2018, the National Crime Victimization Survey revealed an estimated total of 734,630 sexual violence incidents happening per year. And only 25% of those victims reported their sexual assault to U.S. law enforcement. With sexual misconduct occurring not just in personal lives but in every industry imaginable, these statistics show that sexual assault in a massage context happens more often than we realize.

 

Based on my research and 20 years of experience as an expert witness, it’s easy to estimate that there are hundreds of cases of sexual assault every year in the massage and bodywork profession. Most, though by no means all, are cases of male massage therapists assaulting female clients.

 

In addition, almost all female massage therapists, as well as some male practitioners, have stories of a client who was sexually inappropriate with them. It ranges from sexual comments and requests to harassment and attempts to touch the therapist’s body.

 

 

The Introduction of the Attention Button

 

An innovative approach to addressing this serious issue is the Attention Button, a technology produced by BEC Integrated Solutions and started by the Hand and Stone Franchise Corporation. Other companies have used the terms “panic button” or “call button.”

 

This silent, pressable button is placed under the massage table and is easily accessible to both the client and the therapist should they need immediate help. It can be used any time if either person feels uncomfortable or unsafe or if there is a medical emergency requiring immediate assistance from the front desk.

 

 

How Does the Attention Button Work?

 

When the client or therapist pushes the button, a signal is sent to the spa’s front desk monitoring station. This signal alerts staff which room is signaling for help. A front desk staff member would then immediately go to that room, arriving within 15–20 seconds. They knock once and enter to help as needed. The preliminary data from spas using this button showed a notable reduction in complaints of inappropriate touch.

 

 

What is the Deterrent Effect of the Attention Button?

 

With the presence of the button, clients know they can call for help if a therapist is sexually inappropriate with them. Therapists also know this. The presence of the button, even when not used during a session, has a strong deterrent effect on predatory therapists, as well as predatory clients. Since installing the Attention Button, spas have reported drastic reductions in complaints of inappropriate behavior by both clients and therapists.

 

 

Can the Attention Button Be Used for Medical Emergencies?

 

Another benefit of the Attention Button is its lifesaving use in medical emergencies. For example, the button recently facilitated a rapid response to a client in Sarasota, Florida. When the therapist realized her client was having a stroke on the table, she immediately pressed the Attention Button. The assistant manager rushed to the room and quickly called 911.

 

An ambulance was there within 5 minutes. In cases of stroke, seconds count. If there was no button, the therapist might not have been able to leave the room or act quickly to get help. The Attention Button made a huge difference. The client has almost fully recovered and is grateful for the staff working together to contact the first responders so quickly.

 

In another spa in Washington State, a massage therapist had a severe reaction to a change in medication while turning over the room to get ready for the next client. Suddenly, he felt so dizzy he couldn’t walk or talk. He crawled to the table and pushed the Attention Button. The front desk associate came into the room within 20 seconds.

 

The therapist could barely speak, so he pointed in the direction of the ambulance service next door to the spa and mouthed “Help.” The associate sprang into action and had paramedics there within minutes to take him to the emergency room at a nearby hospital.

 

 

The Future of the Attention Button in Spas and Wellness Businesses

 

As the Attention Button’s usefulness becomes more and more apparent, many clinics and franchises have installed them in their spas. When spas go through my Risk Management Assessment process, I recommend an Attention Button system if they do not already have one.

 

It is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to decrease the risk of sexual assault in massage, and it can be used for medical emergencies as an added bonus. There is not a substantial reason for a spa or wellness business not to have an Attention Button. I would like them to become more commonplace, to keep both therapists and clients safe.

 

 

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If you’re a lawyer who is currently involved in a massage sexual assault case and needs an expert witness with a massage or spa background, schedule a conversation with Dr. Benjamin.

Call for more information →

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Ben E. Benjamin holds a Ph.D. in Sports Medicine and has been an expert witness in cases of sexual assault in a massage/spa setting since 2004, advising lawyers, testifying in depositions and trials, and writing reports. His expertise extends beyond massage therapy and ethical behavior. He also advises spas, both large and small, on the creation of comprehensive sexual assault prevention strategies that ensure safe and ethical practices in the industry.