Masseur: A Therapist or Sexual Abuser

Abstract

Massage therapy is the scientific manipulation of the soft tissues of the body by applying pressure, holding & moving muscles and body tissues. This therapy releases stress and advance the function and health of the body. This therapy involves an element of trusts from massage therapists but in recent years there have been a rise in number of sexual assault by massage therapist. The therapist during massage therapy maliciously touches or passes demeaning comments to partially dressed customers. The clients after the incident do not come forward to register a complaint and some victims even feel ashamed to discuss as if they did something wrong or invited the sexual assault. Moreover, the investigating agencies are also facing difficulties in ascertaining the sexual assault charges as several cases regarding sexual assault in massage parlors are still lying pending with many laboratories due to unavailability of facilities or appropriate scientific methods. Hence, need of the hour is to unequivocally establish a technique for analysis of massage oil related sexual assault cases. In this paper inner wears of victim were analysed by two techniques i.e. ATR-FTIR and GC-MS. Various fragrance additives of massage oil alongwith some other chemical components including lignan, phytosterols, triterpene, sesquiterpene, antioxidant, saturated fatty acid, di-ester and skin conditioning agent that were originally contributed from the body odour & cosmetics/perfumery products of victim on her inner wears were detected. This research publication does have societal outreach as it makes the public at large aware about these unreported & hidden sexual crime committed by massage therapist under the guise of massage in massage parlors and delineate an urgency to apprehend these massage therapist. Their wrongful act in the guise of massage can be proved scientifically and can put them behind the bar.