Posted on September 8, in Sex Crimes. Establishing a relationship with a massage therapist can make clients feel more comfortable when getting massages. However, though the relationship between a massage therapist and their client is naturally intimate, given that massages involve so much touching, it should never cross the line into anything sexual in nature. With that being said, sensual massages are illegal in the state of Arizona.
Generally speaking, a sensual massage involves the masseuse using their hands and fingers to stimulate erogenous zones and thus provide pleasure to the person receiving the massage. These types of massages are highly recommended for couples to increase intimacy, but they are not the kind of massage you could or should expect to receive at a massage parlor or spa.
Nevertheless, sensual massages are still often illegally provided for clients all over the country, including Arizona. To become a licensed professional massage therapist in Arizona, one must obtain a license from the Arizona State Board of Massage. This requires respecting the ethical standards set forth by the board. Among these ethical standards is the notion that licensed massage therapists must make their clients feel comfortable and safe.
Therapists also cannot engage in any sexual activity with clients, even if the client themself attempts to sexualize the relationship. The relationship between a massage therapist and their client is intimate enough as it is. Under certain circumstances, a sensual massage could cross the line into a sex crime. From the viewpoint of the client, offering to pay in exchange for a sensual massage could be considered to be a form of prostitution. And if a massage therapist touches a client inappropriately, it could be viewed as sexual assault.
No matter the initial cause, sensual massages should never take place in Arizona, as they not only violate ethical standards but the law as well.
