The relationship between client and therapist is based on trust, good intentions and professionalism. Revelations about sexual abuse of guests by therapists threatens all these things in an existential way. It’s time for the industry to unite, find its moral compass and take control
By Liz Terry | Published in Spa Business 2017 issue 4
Our future prosperity and power to do good is at stake / shutterstock/Supavadee butradee
Operators involved in the emerging investigations into sexual misconduct in spas are shattered to find their businesses have been the setting for predatory sexual behaviour by staff against clients.
The Weinstein scandal has empowered people who’ve lacked the confidence to speak out, meaning we’re hearing the truth about the darker parts of our world.
Overlay the possibility that in more litigious countries, compensation is also a motivation for a few unethical individuals, and it stacks up to mean we’re highly exposed and facing what is arguably our first existential threat as an sector.
Massage and other one-to-one treatments are the engine room driving the industry and if customers lose faith in our ability to keep them safe when they’re naked and vulnerable, they will simply stay away.
Our future success, reputation, and prosperity will depend on how effectively we tackle this challenge.
For operators, covering up what has happened is an understandable reaction, because we’ll see business failures as a result of these revelations and people are frightened for their livelihoods.
But apart from being morally wrong and utterly unacceptable, the message from the courts of law dealing with these cases is coming through loud and clear – deny it, fail to report it or cover it up and that will be a major factor counting against you when it comes to determining the severity of the legal outcome.
At the heart of the solution is a need for more vigilance over our people. Just as doctors and other professionals need to be qualified and licenced and can be struck off for bad practice, so we must move to have this level of safeguarding for therapists. Customers will demand it and we must be able to prove our industry is well-governed to gain their trust.
This is a wealthy sector that could afford to implement this type of system, but greed means corners are being cut by many when it comes to hiring, and with no process in place for oversight, rogue therapists, once discovered, can simply move on and continue their abuse elsewhere.
Industry bodies and leading operators must come together to create a system which will place our industry on a professional footing to ensure there’s no way in for those who would abuse the trust our customers place in us.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: Anne Semonin
Katherine Connolly, newly appointed global
director of retail and spa operations at Anne
Semonin, discusses her plans for the brand
Promotional feature: Thalion
Thalion is the first company to develop highly
specialised mineral therapies for clients, says
training manager Sophie Alemany
Research: Finishing touch
A new study shows that massage can
help muscle re-growth after an injury –
even when applied to the opposite limb
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [more...]
The relationship between client and therapist is based on trust, good intentions and professionalism. Revelations about sexual abuse of guests by therapists threatens all these things in an existential way. It’s time for the industry to unite, find its moral compass and take control
By Liz Terry | Published in Spa Business 2017 issue 4
Our future prosperity and power to do good is at stake / shutterstock/Supavadee butradee
Operators involved in the emerging investigations into sexual misconduct in spas are shattered to find their businesses have been the setting for predatory sexual behaviour by staff against clients.
The Weinstein scandal has empowered people who’ve lacked the confidence to speak out, meaning we’re hearing the truth about the darker parts of our world.
Overlay the possibility that in more litigious countries, compensation is also a motivation for a few unethical individuals, and it stacks up to mean we’re highly exposed and facing what is arguably our first existential threat as an sector.
Massage and other one-to-one treatments are the engine room driving the industry and if customers lose faith in our ability to keep them safe when they’re naked and vulnerable, they will simply stay away.
Our future success, reputation, and prosperity will depend on how effectively we tackle this challenge.
For operators, covering up what has happened is an understandable reaction, because we’ll see business failures as a result of these revelations and people are frightened for their livelihoods.
But apart from being morally wrong and utterly unacceptable, the message from the courts of law dealing with these cases is coming through loud and clear – deny it, fail to report it or cover it up and that will be a major factor counting against you when it comes to determining the severity of the legal outcome.
At the heart of the solution is a need for more vigilance over our people. Just as doctors and other professionals need to be qualified and licenced and can be struck off for bad practice, so we must move to have this level of safeguarding for therapists. Customers will demand it and we must be able to prove our industry is well-governed to gain their trust.
This is a wealthy sector that could afford to implement this type of system, but greed means corners are being cut by many when it comes to hiring, and with no process in place for oversight, rogue therapists, once discovered, can simply move on and continue their abuse elsewhere.
Industry bodies and leading operators must come together to create a system which will place our industry on a professional footing to ensure there’s no way in for those who would abuse the trust our customers place in us.
Read more from this issue of Spa Business magazine
Promotional feature: Anne Semonin
Katherine Connolly, newly appointed global
director of retail and spa operations at Anne
Semonin, discusses her plans for the brand
Promotional feature: Thalion
Thalion is the first company to develop highly
specialised mineral therapies for clients, says
training manager Sophie Alemany
Research: Finishing touch
A new study shows that massage can
help muscle re-growth after an injury –
even when applied to the opposite limb
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the
theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities
that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider,
HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its
site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Premium London health club, KX Chelsea, will imminently unveil its most significant
redevelopment since its launch in 2002 to create an integrated wellness model combining
training, recovery and relaxation.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French
West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to
celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package
that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi, in Malaysia, has revealed a schedule for Global Wellness Day
(GWD) that includes guided rainforest walks, mindful movement and guided coastal meditation
experiences.
Longevitix, a clinical platform for preventive and longevity medicine, has launched its AI-
powered intelligence system to help physicians deliver continuous, personalised longevity-
focused care at scale.
Atmantan Wellness Centre, an integrative wellness destination in Mulshi, near Pune in India, is
expanding its portfolio by adding a new centre in Hyderabad that will launch between 2028 and
2029.
In today’s premium spa environment, every detail shapes the guest experience – right down to
the softness of towels and the freshness of linens. [more...]
The Spa Life UK Convention returns from 21–23 June 2026 at Whittlebury Park Hotel, Spa &
Golf Resort, bringing together spa managers, directors and owners for two days of focused
education, meaningful connection and commercial insight. [more...]
