A massage therapist in South Australia, Jason Hagon, was sentenced to six years in prison for indecent assault after multiple women reported his inappropriate behavior. Despite reports to both the police and industry bodies, Hagon was able to continue practicing, raising concerns about the effectiveness of current regulations and oversight in the massage industry.
There is growing pressure for stricter regulation of the massage industry following an incident where a practitioner, Jason Hagon, was able to continue indecently assaulting his clients despite prior reports to both the police and an industry body. Sarah Eccles-Smith, a former client, recounted her experience a decade ago when she received a massage voucher. During her session, Hagon inappropriately touched her, leaving her feeling vulnerable and shaken.
Not knowing what to do, she endured the assault and left, later reporting it to her partner and housemate, who was scheduled for a massage with Hagon the next day. More than a year later, another client, Sally Lumsden, also experienced inappropriate touching during a massage with Hagon. Both women expressed feelings of guilt and fear, questioning why they didn't immediately report the assaults.Despite reporting the incidents to the police, Hagon was not arrested. However, a report was made to Massage and Myotherapy Australia (MMA), the representative body for massage therapists. MMA suspended Hagon's health insurance provider number as a precaution but stated they lacked the authority to prevent him from practicing. MMA claimed that SA Police informed them they would report Hagon to SA's Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner (HCSCC), who could have imposed an interim ban. However, SA Police confirmed they did not report Hagon to the health commissioner at the time, a decision now under internal review.The HCSCC ultimately placed interim prohibition orders on Hagon starting in April 2022, after SA Police raised allegations of assaults against two women during massage sessions. The number of complainants subsequently grew, leading to Hagon being charged with 18 counts of aggravated indecent assault and seven counts of rape. The rape and aggravated indecent assault charges were later dropped in a plea deal. During sentencing, Judge Joanne Tracey acknowledged the seriousness of Hagon's offenses, stating that he 'breached the trust' placed in him as a professional. His crimes were described as 'brazen, opportunistic and deliberate,' committed against women in vulnerable situations. Hagon was sentenced to six years in prison with a non-parole period of four years, nine months and 19 days. The case highlights the need for stricter regulation and oversight within the massage industry to protect vulnerable clients from exploitation and abuse
MASSAGE THERAPY SEXUAL ASSAULT POLICE COMPLAINTS INDUSTRY REGULATION VICTIM SUPPORT
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