A masseur at a club in Jersey City, NJ, was arrested and charged with criminal sexual contact after he allegedly told a female member he was homosexual and proceeded to massage her breasts and buttocks.
The woman filed charges March 22 after she learned that the man was in a relationship with a woman. The manager at Club H Fitness also told her the massage was inappropriate, according to the The Jersey Journal.
The 30-year-old masseur allegedly asked the 20-year-old woman—whose boyfriend works at the club—if she wanted her glutes and breasts massaged, indicating that it was a regular practice. After she consented, the masseur removed all her clothing and proceeded with the massage, the newspaper reported.
The woman, who admitted to feeling uncomfortable during the massage, later told her father about what occurred. He called the club and the police, charges were filed and a warrant for the masseur’s arrest was filed that night. After spending time in jail, the masseur was released on his own recognizance.
A massage therapist at a nearby salon in New Jersey told The Jersey Journal that it is not unusual for massage therapists to massage the buttocks or glutes, provided that the client consents. A certification that requires certain course work is needed to perform breast massages, he said.
“They (massage therapists) are not allowed to touch that (breasts) unless they are certified,” the therapist told the newspaper. “Whether the massage therapist is gay or straight doesn’t matter.”