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Massage Sex Abuse Lawsuits

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On this page, we will look at massage parlor sex assault lawsuits and their settlement value. These cases involve massage clients who are the victims of non-consensual sexual touching or assault during a massage.

Our national sex abuse lawyers are currently accepting massage sex assault cases across the country. If you have been the victim of sexual assault or unwanted sexual touching during massage therapy session, contact us today at 800-322-3010 or reach out to us online.

Sexual Assault During Massage

Getting a massage is intensely relaxing and therapeutic experience that has many health benefits. By its very nature, however, a massage is very intimate experience. In a typical massage session, the client is nearly naked and alone in a closed room with just the massage therapist who is touching them all over their body.

In this context, the line between massage therapy and sexual assault can literally be a matter of inches. Despite the inherently intimate nature of massage, there are still boundaries. Consenting to get half-naked and allow a massage therapist to touch most of your body is not the same as consenting to sexual touching. There is a very clear and distinct difference between massage therapy and sexual touching.

What Is Sexual Assault During a Massage?

Initially, it may seem hard to identify what amounts to sexual assault during a massage session. If the massage therapist goes too close to your genitals with their hands and makes you feel uncomfortable, is that enough for sexual assault? What if the massage therapist “accidentally” touches your breast during a session? Is that sexual assault? What if he “accidentally” touches your breast 2 times, does that make it different?

The answer to all of these questions, and the general answer to what constitutes sexual assault during a massage is ….. it depends. Categorizing something as sexual assault depends on the presence of 2 key elements: (1) sexual intent, and (2) lack of consent.

In order for the touching to constitute sexual assault, the massage therapist has to do it with a sexual intent. There is no sexual intent involved in touching someone’s ankle … so if it doesn’t involve the sexual organs, it usually won’t qualify. However, even touching someone’s genitals does not always have a sexual intent. The touching must be intentionally done for the purpose of sexual gratification. So if a massage therapist touches ur breast by accident (a legitimate accident) that would not count.

The second element is a lack of consent. If you consent to the sexual contact, it is not considered assault or abuse.

Examples of Sexual Assault During Massage

Sexual assault includes any behavior that is sexual in nature or violates professional boundaries. This can involve inappropriate physical contact, suggestive remarks, or unwanted sexual advances.

Examples of inappropriate sexual conduct during a massage session may include:

  • Failing to ask which areas you are comfortable having worked on or which areas to avoid
  • Encouraging nudity without clear purpose or consent
  • Remaining in the room while you are dressing or undressing
  • Touching the breasts without medical necessity, prior discussion, and explicit consent
  • Any contact with the genital area
  • Touching the upper inner thigh without prior agreement
  • Pressing their pelvic area against your body
  • Any touch that feels sexual rather than therapeutic
  • Holding or adjusting the drape in a way that exposes you unnecessarily
  • Using loose or improper draping techniques
  • Pressuring you to agree to anything that makes you uncomfortable
  • Making inappropriate or sexual comments about your body
  • Telling sexual jokes or innuendos
  • Suggesting moving the session to a private location, like your home
  • Any behavior that makes you feel uneasy—even if you’re not sure why

Lawsuits For Sexual Assault During Massage

Victims of sexual assault or abuse during a massage therapy session can file a civil lawsuit and get financial compensation. Lawsuits can be filed against the massage therapist who committed the sexual assault, or against the massage parlor or company that they work for.

Massage parlor owners have a legal responsibility to protect their clients by exercising reasonable care when hiring and supervising their staff. This includes conducting proper background checks and ensuring that employees do not pose a risk to customer safety. If an employer hires a masseuse with a known history of sexual misconduct at another facility, it can serve as strong evidence of negligent hiring.

Massage therapists have a much more obvious and direct duty to not sexually abuse or assault their clients.

When pursuing a civil lawsuit for sexual assault, targeting the individual therapist alone may not result in adequate compensation, especially if they lack sufficient personal assets or insurance. While some massage parlors carry general liability insurance, many either do not carry coverage or have policies that fall short of covering the full extent of a victim’s damages.

Victims may have grounds to bring claims against the business owner, operator, or even the franchise entity responsible for the massage parlor. These parties can be held legally accountable for failing to prevent the assault or for creating conditions that allowed it to occur. Thanks to updated statute of limitations laws in states like New York and New Jersey, survivors now have extended timeframes to take legal action—not only against individual abusers but also against the institutions that enabled or ignored the misconduct, even if the abuse occurred many years ago.

Settlement Value of Massage Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Typical Settlement Range

  • $50,000 to $500,000 – Common range for out-of-court settlements.
  • $500,000 to several million dollars – Possible in more severe cases, especially where:
    • There is strong evidence of misconduct
    • The victim suffers long-term trauma or PTSD
    • The facility (spa, clinic, franchise) is found negligent in hiring, training, or supervising the therapist

Factors That Affect Value

  • Severity of the assault: More invasive or repeated assaults generally lead to higher settlements.
  • Emotional/psychological impact: Diagnosis of PTSD, depression, or anxiety can significantly raise the claim value.
  • Economic damages: Loss of income, therapy costs, or other out-of-pocket expenses.
  • Liability of the employer: If a business is found responsible (e.g., ignored prior complaints), damages increase. This is possibly one of the biggest and most impactful factors for settlement value. If you don’t have a good case against the employer or massage parlor, it may be difficult to get an money because suing the individual massage therapist will probably be pointless.
  • Jurisdiction: States vary in laws, damage caps, and jury tendencies.

Contact Us About Massage Therapy Sex Abuse Lawsuits

If you were sexually assaulted or abused during a massage session, contact us today to see if you can get compensation. Call us at 800-322-3010 or reach out to us online.