|
Thou art to me a delicious torment. Introduction
| Touch, Intimacy
and Sexuality | Sexual
vs. Compassionate Touch |
| In no other professions, save those of physicians, does a nude or partially-draped human being submit to treatment by a fully-dressed person in the privacy of a softly-lit rooma continual occurrence in massage therapy. In all instances, that the work goes as planned depends on the intentions and good will of the person being treated and the intentions and demeanor of the professional. Of course, since humans are involved, all does not always go as planned. This is as true in the medical office as in the massage treatment room. The results of such lapses in proper deportment typically are consternation, confusion and hurt feelings. Less often, the results are assault and physical violation, sometimes of the client, other times of the professional. A third occurrence is mutual, consensual and romantic intimacy. The subject of sex and massage has been dealt with in these pages in separate articles before.* However, because massage therapy has gained rapid acceptance at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, the potential for greater numbers of lapses has increased tremendously, even though the incidence remains statistically very low. While nationally, the total number of grievances against massage therapists remains low, the overwhelmingly major reason that they are filed is sexual impropriety. There is another problem. Despite its universal acceptance in our culture, massage therapy is still haunted by the lingering ghost of that form of prostitution known as massage parlors. Yellow Pages directories in many municipalities still list them under the general headings of Massage, mingled with listings of legitimate massage therapy practices. Everywhere massage therapists, feeling the cold breath of that ghost on the back of their necks, are especially skittish when they hear of any reference of massage and sex. Because of the importance of sexual issues to the practicing massage therapist, this issue of Massage Therapy Journal includes this special section of five articles on the subject. They are: Touch, Intimacy And Sexuality, by MTJ Columnist Ben Benjamin (page 54). Sexual vs. Compassionate Touch, by Dawn Jordan (page 62). The Senses, by Diane Ackerman, excerpted from her book, A Natural History of the Senses (page 74). Desexualizing The Massage Experience, by MTJ ethics columnist Dianne Polseno (page 78). How To Avoid Grievances, by the late Paul Musser, who served as a member of the AMTA Grievance Committee (page 90). Mussers article is introduced by William Greenberg, former chair of that committee, now a member of the AMTA board of directors. No doubt these writings will elicit discussion in schools and in practices. That is an important purpose of their publication. Another is to stave off untoward sexual instances. Comments should be directed to: MTJ Letters to the Editor. -Theodore Berland * Ben Benjamin, Sexuality and Boundary Issues,
Fall 1990; Alex Mykietiuch, Professional Conduct and Sexual Boundaries,
Winter 1991; Kathie Bailey, Therapeutic Massage With Survivors of Abuse,
Summer 1992; Lucy Liben, Sexual Orientation and the Massage School
Environment, Summer 1995; Charlie Seltzer, The Intimacy of Massage Has
Its Hazards, Winter 1997. |
