More than two dozen complaints about sexual abuse by licensed massage therapists were filed with the Georgia licensing board over the past three years. But only once did the board sanction a therapist for sexual misconduct, an investigation by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found (read the full story here).
The Georgia Board of Massage Therapy took action only in the case of a Gwinnett County massage parlor owner — and then only two months after he was indicted, accused of abusing 13 women.
In 25 other cases, the AJC found no license revocation, no therapists placed on probation, and no reprimands.
The board lacks the authority and resources to fully protect the public, Board Chairman Craig Knowles told the newspaper. But the AJC's investigation found that the board rarely uses the power it already has.
Even therapists who are facing charges for sexual crimes have been able to keep working on unsuspecting clients. And in at least two cases in the past three years, therapists who had pleaded guilty in cases involving sexual misconduct faced no discipline from the board.
Knowles said the board doesn’t always find out about criminal cases. “Any case where there is proof of wrongdoing, the board takes action,” he said. “But we have to be aware of it, and just because it was on the news doesn’t mean the board’s aware of it.”
One woman who filed a complaint said the board had all the information it needed in her case, but still failed to act. “It’s like my complaint was never taken seriously,” she said.
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