Harassment, sexual requests part of a day's work, says Calgary massage therapist

It's a massage therapist's job to make her clients comfortable.

But in recent months, a Calgary woman has had to remind herself why she got into the profession in the first place because prospective male clients have been making her uncomfortable with harassing messages and sexual requests.

She's hoping that raising awareness and pushing for provincial regulation might help keep her safe on the job.

Earlier this year, a man she was massaging exposed himself during the therapeutic session and police have confirmed he's being charged with one count of an indecent act. Because of those charges, CBC cannot reveal the woman's identity.

Asking if she offers sex

CBC also reviewed screen-captured text messages and Kijiji replies the woman had received. Some messages were direct, like a text asking her if she offers "full services," and when she asked what the potential client meant, they said "sex."

In one string of Kijiji messages, a man had questions about what kind of draping she used, if he had to be nude, and said he didn'thave any interest in any "extras" but was asking about a glute massage. He then abruptly sent a photo of his genitals.

"I felt like I could handle it prior to the phone call," she said.

The phone call, which police said they tracked to a Walmart payphone, was from a man telling her he would take advantage of her while getting a massage treatment next time he books.

Panic attack

The woman chooses to work from home because she is a single parent, and wants to be able to balance time with her family.

That incident made hertake a break from clients at home and, she said, pickup a shifts at a clinic she also sometimes works for.

She said she felt a panic attack coming on when she was working on a male client following that incident.

She advertises online, and in a nearby salon. Her ads specify she's not offering "extras."

Profession 'not regulated'

Heather Kew, a long-time professional and vice presidentof the Massage Therapist Association of Alberta, said the woman's experience is becoming less common, but her group still hears complaints about it.

"There is this confusion within our profession because we're not regulated," Kew said.

"Often we're seeing people who work in the sex trade using this term or title for themselves the public does not understand who is the registered massage therapist."

Alberta doesn't have a regulatory body for massage therapists.

Lobbying for change

Massage therapy is governed by three main associations: the Massage Therapists Association of Alberta, the Remedial Massage Therapists Associationand the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada.

Kew said the major massage associations are actively lobbying the government to create a governing body that would protect the registered massage therapist designation.

In the last few years the amalgamated group known as the Transitional Council for the College of Massage Therapists of Alberta has formed to create governing documents, which were completed this summer.

Association hopes for legislation soon

"The profession is waiting for the government to open up the Health Professions Act and amend that act to include massage therapy," Kew said.

"We are waiting for the government to complete the work it needs to do."

She said it's unclear how long it might take, but they have received positive feedback. They hope the act will be amended in the fall session.

Safety isprimary issue: police

Staff Sgt. Bruce Walker with the sex crimes unit said most sexual crimes are underreported. He said for people who work in massage therapy, for themselves or at a clinic, safety is the primary issue.

"Unfortunately, when you're working from home you're inviting complete strangers into your home," he said.

"There are hundreds of businesses of various types where people do operate out of the homes there has to be some sort of understanding and proactive measures put in place."

He said some strategies include keeping a record of who is coming and going in the home, records of health and benefit plans, being wary of folks who want to pay using cash and being clear with clients that a massage is a professional service.

Woman has videos, documentation

Thewoman said she does a lot to protect herself. She only takes clients who will fill out her forms and provide previous medical history, she has a video recording system set up in her home and she also writes notes and receipts for each visit.

"There's many people who, once I tell them there's forms to fill out, they decide they don't want to come for a treatment," she said.

"Or they ask me if they can come without doing the forms and just pay cash. I tell them no, that's a requirement and I feel like that weeds out a lot of people."

She also decides whether or not to take on a client based on the way they speak to her.

Her patient forms even include a line, where she has clients read and initial that they agree to a "no abuse" policy, and that requests for "sexual activity" will not be tolerated.

When she went to school, the woman said some professors did mention that massage therapists are often misconstrued with sex workers, and she did expect to sometimes have inappropriate requests on the job.

But she didn't expect that saying no to requests for sexual acts would become part of every workday.

'More than once a day'

"Sometimes it's more than once a day and I feel like it's unfortunate," she said.

"I have to post on my ads that I don't provide those kinds of services which I feel like I shouldn'thave to."

She said having a regulatory body in Alberta might help educate the public and weed out massage therapists who might be providing "extras" or people who pose as massage therapists.

"We aren't here for your sexual needs, we're here for health and wellness," she said. "We can't do that if we're pulled down by these people who are trying to take advantage of us."

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