Standard of Care INDEX.PHP
Attention Buttons Help Protect Massage Clients
published on Friday, October 10th, 2025
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% […]
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Investigating Sexual Assault Complaints in Massage Businesses and Spas
published on Friday, September 26th, 2025
Today’s topic is investigating sexual assault complaints in massage businesses and spas. When you take on a sexual assault case involving a massage therapist, especially if you have not had this type of case before, it is crucial to discover who conducted the initial investigation. Was it the spa itself, or did they hire an […]
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What Ethics Training Should Spas Provide to Massage Therapists? Part Two
published on Friday, August 29th, 2025
This is Part Two of the topic, “What ethics training should spas provide to massage therapists?” We have established that any business that employs massage therapists should train them in ethics. And that this training addresses any gaps in a therapist’s schooling, as well as acts as an additional screening opportunity against predatory therapists. We […]
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What Ethics Training Should Spas Provide to Massage Therapists? Part One
published on Friday, August 29th, 2025
In any day spa or wellness-oriented business that employs massage therapists, it is imperative that management provides ethics training to its employees. Not only does ethics training bridge the gap from schooling, but it also provides another screening opportunity for any hires with predatory tendencies. Therefore, one key benefit of ethics training for massage therapists […]
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What Are the Standards of Care to Prevent the Hiring of Predatory Massage Therapists?
published on Friday, August 15th, 2025
I have worked as an expert witness in a massage context for the past 20+ years and have encountered a variety of cases involving predatory massage therapists. One thing that almost all of these cases have in common is that the business, whether a day spa or another type of wellness-focused facility, was missing essential […]
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Comprehensive Therapist Onboarding is Vital to Keeping Spas and Clients Safe
published on Friday, June 6th, 2025
When a spa organization hires a massage therapist, there are several steps to screen for predatory behavior. As described previously in other blogs, there must be a robust interview process that includes many challenging red-flag questions. There are also license checks, reference checks, and background checks, but one of the most important screening methods occurs […]
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An Essential Element of a Sexual Assault Prevention Program in Massage
published on Friday, February 14th, 2025
There are many touch points in the hiring process where predator therapists can be identified. But even if an organization has a robust interview process, thorough reference checks, and criminal and predator background checks, some therapists with predatory tendencies will still inevitably slip through the hiring and vetting process. This is why it’s important to […]
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A Spa Business Must Have an Effective Client Survey
published on Friday, January 31st, 2025
In order to perpetuate a team culture invested in sexual assault prevention, where a business and its clients can stay safe, a spa business must have an effective client survey. No one except the client and the massage therapist can know what’s happening in the treatment room, which means businesses must get that information directly […]
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Keep Your Massage Spa or Practice and Clients Safe with an Educational Bill of Rights
published on Thursday, January 16th, 2025
Keep Your Massage Spa or Practice and Clients Safe with an Educational Bill of Rights Day spas, franchises, and massage clinics should educate their clients about what to expect as well as their rights. Creating a client educational brochure or section of a website to inform clients of their rights regarding safety is an important […]
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How to Screen Predators with Robust Verbal and Hands-On Massage Interviews
published on Thursday, January 2nd, 2025
Protect Your Clients and Massage Business From Hiring Mistakes The massage profession is attractive to predators because they can be alone in a room with a vulnerable client who is wearing little to no clothing. That’s why it’s vital for employers to protect their clients and their massage business from hiring mistakes by screening for […]
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