A woman who says she was sexually violated by a massage therapist in Blaine is urging state legislators to change Minnesota’s legal code to require that all masseuses be licensed and vetted by the state.
The woman, who did not want to be identified, said she was violated by a Junting He at Tao Massage in Blaine. After she came forward, other women came forward with complaints about sexual contact at the massage parlor, and the salon was closed in February. Now the woman is urging the state to make changes so other women don’t go through similar experiences. A happy ending massage might be an exciting plot for an adult film that you might find on a site like www.nu-bay.com, but when it comes down to it in reality, it rarely ever happens, instead, those that go to massage parlors are wanting to have a relaxing experience with no sexual advances.
Licensed Massage in Minnesota
Interestingly, the proposal that the woman is pitching is already enforced in Blaine, so would it really have the desired impact at the state level? In Blaine, massage therapists are required to be licensed by the state before they can touch anyone. The same can be said in cities like St. Paul, Burnsville and Hopkins. The decision about whether or not a person needs to have their state license in order to act as a massage therapist is made at the municipal level, meaning it’s up to each city to decide if therapists need to be state certified. The woman at the center of the case wants changes at the state level that would take the decision out of the hands of cities.
Proponents of the state-level change say it may also cut down on prostitution or sexual massages, but people seeking those types of massages aren’t doing it at your average massage parlor. It seems unlikely that this move would put a dent in sexualized or topless massages that are offered on sites like Backpage.com or Craigslist because those individuals aren’t claiming to be licensed.
Opponents of changing the law say increased regulations at the state level would make it harder for low-income individuals to enter the massage therapy world because of increased licensing costs. The Minnesota Natural Health Legal Reform Project agrees, saying there are enough consumer protections in place already, and any complaints of sexual harassment or prostitution should be brought to the attention of the local police right away.
