A criminal case involving alleged rape during a massage at a Tennessee day spa is now headed to a grand jury. The story highlights how abuse can happen in massage and spa businesses and what survivors can do to report, protect their rights, and consider civil claims.
Reviewed by Abuse Justice Center · Updated 2026-11-05
In Tennessee, prosecutors have brought felony rape charges against a licensed massage therapist after a client reported that she was sexually assaulted during a massage at a day spa in Nashville. According to news coverage, the client described being frozen in fear and shock when the therapist allegedly assaulted her while she was on the massage table. At a recent hearing, the therapist reportedly first denied any sexual contact with the client, then later claimed the encounter was consensual.
A local criminal court has now decided there is enough evidence for the case to go to a grand jury. A grand jury does not decide guilt or innocence. Instead, it reviews whether prosecutors have probable cause to move forward with a formal indictment and a potential trial. The decision to send this case to a grand jury signals that the court believed the state presented sufficient basic evidence to continue the criminal process. The therapist is being held on bond while the case proceeds, and the investigation may continue to develop as more witnesses or information come forward.
Massage and spa settings can feel relaxed and therapeutic, but they also involve private rooms, closed doors, and significant power imbalance between a client and a practitioner. Clients are often undressed to some degree, sometimes in low light, and are encouraged to trust the professional who is touching their body for treatment. When a therapist or staff member decides to misuse that trust, a client can be caught off guard and may freeze or dissociate rather than fight back or yell.
Abuse in these settings can include unwanted sexual touching, pressure for sexual contact, photographing or filming a client without consent, or going beyond what the client agreed to under the guise of treatment. Some survivors describe feeling unable to move or speak in the moment, which is a common trauma response and does not imply consent. Others may worry they misread the situation or did something wrong. In reality, it is always the professional’s responsibility to maintain clear boundaries, explain what they are doing, and stop immediately if a client seems uncomfortable or says no.
When an assault in a massage or spa business is reported, authorities may investigate and bring criminal charges, as is happening in Tennessee. A criminal case is handled by government prosecutors and can lead to jail time, probation, or other penalties if there is a conviction. The focus is on whether the state can prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Survivors are important witnesses in these cases, but they are not in charge of filing or dismissing the criminal charges. That decision belongs to prosecutors.
Separately, a survivor can consider a civil claim. A civil case is brought by the survivor, usually seeking money damages and sometimes changes to policies at the business as part of a settlement. The standard of proof is generally lower than in criminal court, and the civil claim can target both the individual wrongdoer and, in some situations, the spa or massage business itself. For example, a civil claim might argue that the business failed to supervise properly, ignored prior complaints, or did not have basic safety policies in place. A criminal case and a civil case can move forward at the same time, but civil filing deadlines are usually much shorter than the length of a criminal investigation or trial.
Every state sets its own time limits, called statutes of limitations, for filing civil claims based on sexual assault or abuse. These laws can be complex, especially where the survivor was an adult at the time of the assault, the abuse occurred in a business setting, or there are claims against both an individual and an institution. Some states have created extended deadlines or special windows for child victims. Others still apply relatively short time frames for adults. Because the rules can differ not only by state but also by the type of claim, it is usually important to get state-specific information as soon as possible after an incident.
In Tennessee, general personal injury claims are usually subject to a short filing period counted from the date of the incident. However, sexual assault and abuse cases can sometimes involve additional legal theories, such as negligent hiring or supervision by a business, or violation of specific victim rights statutes. These claims might have separate time limits, and some states pause the clock in certain situations, such as when the survivor was intimidated or did not yet connect their trauma to the assault. None of these details change what happened, but they can shape whether a court will agree to hear a case. For that reason, survivors who are even considering a civil claim often benefit from talking with someone who can explain how the timing rules work where the abuse occurred.
After an experience like the one reported in Nashville, many survivors are left feeling confused, ashamed, or doubting their own memory. It can take time to label what happened as abuse, and no one is required to report or sue in order for their experience to be real. At the same time, some early steps can help preserve options down the road, whether or not a survivor chooses to involve the police or pursue a civil claim. These steps are focused on safety, documentation, and support.
One of the most important things is to get to a safe place and receive any medical or mental health care that feels right. If someone decides to report the incident to law enforcement, it can help to do so as soon as they feel able, since physical evidence and surveillance video may be lost over time. It can also help to report to the spa or business in writing, especially if the survivor suspects there could be other victims. Saving text messages, emails, appointment records, receipts, and notes about what happened can all be important later, particularly if the survivor decides to talk with a legal professional about possible claims against the therapist or the business. None of these steps lock anyone into moving forward. They simply keep doors open while the survivor thinks through what is best for them.
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In a massage or spa setting, you should only be touched in ways that you clearly agreed to for treatment. Unwanted sexual touching, contact with intimate areas that you did not consent to, or any pressure for sexual activity usually crosses both professional and legal boundaries. If you are unsure, you can talk confidentially with a counselor, hotline, or legal professional to sort through your experience without any obligation to report.
You do not have to wait for a criminal conviction, or even for charges to be filed, before exploring your civil options. In many states, the civil deadlines are shorter than the time a criminal case might take, so waiting could actually reduce your options. Civil and criminal processes are separate, and a civil claim focuses on your harms and potential compensation rather than on punishment alone.
Useful evidence can include appointment logs, receipts, credit card statements, email confirmations, and screenshots of any messages between you and the spa or therapist. Your own written account of what happened, including dates, times, and descriptions, is also important. If there were cameras in hallways, lobbies, or parking lots, noting this early can help an investigator or attorney request that footage before it is erased.
In some cases, a business can be held responsible for the actions of an employee, especially if the abuse happened during work hours or on company property. There may also be separate claims if the business ignored warning signs, failed to check backgrounds, or did not respond properly to earlier complaints. Whether the business can be included in a civil case depends heavily on state law and the specific facts.
Freezing, going silent, or feeling unable to move is a very common reaction to trauma and does not mean you agreed to what happened. Courts and investigators increasingly understand that many survivors do not fight back or yell, especially when there is a power imbalance in a private setting. A civil or criminal case looks at the overall circumstances, not just whether you said the word "no" out loud.
Civil filing deadlines for sexual assault and abuse cases are set by each state, and they can differ depending on whether the survivor was an adult or a child and whether the claim is against an individual or a business. Tennessee, for example, generally uses a short timeframe for many personal injury claims, although abuse-related cases can involve additional rules. Because of these differences, it is important to ask a licensed attorney in your state about the specific deadline that could apply to your situation.
Yes. You can speak with a therapist, counselor, victim advocate, or a confidential hotline like RAINN to get support and information without automatically triggering legal action. You can also consult a lawyer simply to learn about your options and deadlines. None of these conversations require you to move forward with criminal charges or a civil case unless and until you decide that is right for you.