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STEVE CRANE JR is the Attorney that gets you justice for SEXUAL ABUSE occurring in massage spas.
Massage Spa Sexual Abuse | Civil Lawsuits
STEVE CRANE SECURES JUSTICE FOR VICTIMS AND SURVIVORS OF MASSAGE SPA SEXUAL ABUSE.
When we go to a massage spa or professional masseuse, we trust that we are in the hands of qualified professionals who will treat us with integrity and respect. When boundaries are crossed, these individuals have not only broken the law but have been enabled by establishments that either allow this activity, ignore complaints, or do not have proper hiring standards in place.
Recently, Buzzfeed published an article surrounding the recurrent sexual assault claims against various massage therapists working at the national Massage Envy, an American massage and skin care national franchisor, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, with more than 1,200 independently owned and operated, franchise locations operating across the country. Buzzfeed focused on “Massage envy,” but also created a public spotlight on a problem that has existed for years. Sexual impropriety in spas and massage therapy centers across the country.
No massage therapist should ever touch your genital area or breasts. Indeed, sexual contact between massage therapists and clients is strictly prohibited under professional ethics and licensing rules as well as criminal law in most states. During a massage, clients are in an extraordinarily vulnerable setting. They are often undressed in a darkened room with a stranger (often of the opposite sex) whom they are expected to trust while lying in a prone position and seeking a relaxing experience. Given these circumstances, the massage therapist is aided in his or her commission of the assault by virtue of the conditions of his employment and his status as a licensed massage therapist.
Have you or a loved one been inappropriately touched or treated at a massage spa? If so, you may have a legitimate claim against the establishment that harmed you.
If you are a massage spa employee that is aware of improper practices and a pattern of assault—or if you been subjected to abuse or harassment from your employers—we are ready to assess these claims, as well.
Steve is relentless in his pursuit of being the victim’s champion. Why? What lit this intense fire in him?
Early in his life, Steve witnessed pre-teens and teens being bullied, hazed and attacked by other pre-teens and teens. The perpetrators attacked because they could. They had power and dominance, while the victims did not. For each attack, Steve stepped in and stopped it. Steve has always remained vigilant, highly insightful, compassionate, approachable, tolerant, and understanding the pain endured by others.
Steve is personally and professionally driven to help victims of past and present sex abuse, bullying, hazing and physical assaults to find safety, to recover and put their lives back together. He is truly a comforting light – assuring protection, and safety in addition to winning the financial compensation his clients deserve for their pain and loss.
If you are a victim or survivor of sexual abuse, you should contact experienced and respected attorney Steve Crane. He and his team can assess the facts of your case and help you in a trusted, private and secure manner determine the best course of action to move forward.
To schedule a discrete and confidential consultation about your matter, email or call us at (833) 855-4400.
THE FREEZE RESPONSE IN REGARD TO SEXUAL ASSAULT
The imbalance of power between massage therapist and client adds to the fear and anxiety when sexual contact is initiated by the massage therapist. Oftentimes due to shock and fear of sexual contact, the client will go into an involuntary “freeze response” to cope with the trauma of the assault. This is a completely normal physiological response because the sexual contact is unexpected, and the brain was previously attempting to go into a state of relaxation. Due to the “freeze response”, a client sexually assaulted in the massage setting often fails to immediately scream for help or otherwise report an assault. Sometimes victims of sexual assault experience guilt or shame if they did not immediately stop the sexual contact or report it right away. The “freeze response” is a completely normal trauma response and the victims should not feel shame or guilt. It is never too late to report a massage therapist for sexual assault. From the legal perspective, the bigger question is how to protect yourself, and what to do if it happens to you.
First and foremost, bring complaints of inappropriate touching or harassment to the attention of management. When inappropriate touching takes place between a massage therapist and a client, it is almost exclusively happening in a closed room. Silence on the part of the company that failed to supervise or watch for warning signs, and sometimes, the silence of victims afraid to step forward. If you’ve been a victim of a massage therapist’s sexual aggression and assault, please step forward so that you can get the help you need.
YOUR RIGHT TO CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY
A child is entitled to privacy under State and Federal Law. Michigan Courts will protect your right to file as a “Jane or John Doe” to permit a child to maintain anonymity and privacy while still allowing you to pursue justice.
An adult is entitled to privacy too. When possible, Steve will file your case as “Jane or John Doe.” This can keep your identity private, while still allowing you to pursue the deserved justice.
If you are a survivor of sexual abuse or assault, it is important that you have legal counsel that understands and has the compassion to address the damages you have suffered emotionally and physically.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by speaking with Steve Crane and his team regarding your safety, good name, and legal options. Steve has helped many victims of sexual assault and abuse obtain substantial recoveries when they were abused.
Contact Steve Crane now and be assured he will discreetly and in full confidence discuss your case. To schedule a discrete and confidential consultation about your matter, email or call him at (833) 855-4400.
THE DEADLINE FOR FILING A SEXUAL ABUSE CIVIL LAWSUIT
The “statute of limitations” is a term used by courts to describe the maximum amount of time plaintiffs can wait before bringing a lawsuit. This time limit is set by state law and is intended to promote fairness and keep old cases from clogging the courts. In the publication of private facts cases, the statute of limitations ordinarily runs from the date of the first publication of the offending facts.
Because Michigan’s Wrongful Death Act does not include a statute of limitations, the statute of limitations for the underlying cause of action (i.e., negligence) applies. In the case of wrongful death actions based on general negligence, the statute of limitations is the general 3-year statute of limitations for injury to a person or property when reviewing. See Michigan Compiled Law 600.5805(2).
The statute of limitations varies for sexual abuse (which includes criminal sexual conduct and the broom-sticking of one’s rectum) and when the victim is a minor.
Michigan Compiled Law 600.5851b(1)(a) allows children (minors) until age 28 to file a civil lawsuit, or under section 5851b(1)(b), within three years of discovering the harm, whichever is later. See Michigan Compiled Law 600.5851b(1)(b).
MCL 600.5805(6) affords adult victims 10 years from the most recent incident of sexual abuse to bring a case against the abuser.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this blog is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information contained in this blog or on this website should be construed as legal advice from Crane Law PLLC or Steve Crane, Esq. Neither your receipt of information from this website nor your use of this website to contact Crane Law PLLC or Steve Crane, Esq. creates an attorney-client relationship between you and the firm or any of its lawyers. No reader of this website should act or refrain from acting on the basis of any information included in, or accessible through, this website without seeking the appropriate legal advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s jurisdiction.