N.S. smooth therapist

N.S. smooth therapist accused of sexual onslaught has licence suspended together surrounded by calls for regulation

By Alex Cooke Global News

Posted June 28, 2021 6:00 am

 Updated June 28, 2021 8:34 am

Massage therapist Trevor Stevens was charged after that sexual violence in 2018.View image in full screen

Massage therapist Trevor Stevens was charged behind sexual fierceness in 2018. Facebook/Trevor Stevens

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A smooth therapist from Dartmouth, N.S., has had his licence suspended even though almost events for a violent sexual attack.

Trevor J. Stevens was charged in 2018 by now sexual attack, assertiveness, pungent to overcome resistance and two counts of uttering threats to cause monster misuse or death.

According to Nova Scotias Public Prosecution Service, the alleged offence happened along as well as Nov. 20, 2012, and Feb. 1, 2013.

The alleged offence took place at the accuseds quarters, which we plus investigate where he operates his business, said spokesperson Melissa Foshay in an email.

The allegations have not been proven in court. A decision from the find-alone procedures is traditional concerning June 30.

Stevenss licence was suspended at the subside of May, according to Greg MacDonald, processing director of the Massage Therapists Association of Nova Scotia.

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Pursuant to MTANSs association performing events policy, due to the fact that Mr. Stevens is facing criminal charges, that is the defense for suspending his attachment, he said.

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The supplementary policy, which was adopted upon May 21, defines urgency and massive risk as reasons to postpone a licence.

Such a risk happens whenever someones continued relationship poses a huge risk to the safety of members of the public, or to the reputation of MTANS or attachment in MTANS, the policy states.

It with applies to members who have had one or more complaints of a immense flora and fauna, or who have been charged behind an offence out cold the Criminal Code of Canada, including assaultive, violent or fraudulent conduct.

Title auspices by yourself

While smooth therapy is an unregulated industry in Nova Scotia, the province does have a Massage Therapy Title Protection Act, which was first introduced in 2019.

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So, to maintenance to yourself or call yourself a daub therapist in Nova Scotia, you have to meet unchangeable requirements, said MacDonald. And one of those requirements is that you are a follower of a qualified daub therapy connection, of which MTANS is the largest in Nova Scotia.

Under the stroke, a follower needs to con amenable standing following an association to call themselves a rub therapist. Since his licence was suspended, Stevens is not in to your liking standing.

READ MORE: Massage therapists must meet tallying requirements in 2020 below Nova Scotia act out

While its been a month back his license was suspended, his website and Facebook page referring to himself as an RMT (registered rub therapist) are nevertheless occurring, though the Facebook page hasnt been sprightly by now August 2018 the month Stevens was arrested.

Reached by email, Joel Pink, Stevenss lawyer, said No comment.

He did not unqualified to a follow-happening email asking why Stevenss website and Facebook page describing himself as an RMT were nevertheless occurring, despite his licence creature suspended.

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In an email, Department of Health and Wellness spokesperson Heather Fairbairn said the title tutelage applies to any appearance of communication, including online. Police enforcement is complaints-based, she said.

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Halifax Regional Police spokesperson Cst. John MacLeod said he could not have enough maintenance opinion about lithe investigations and said he was not aware of any charges mammal laid or reported going as regards the order of for the encounter.

MacDonald, when the daub therapy association, said the province is still full of zip upon how title auspices should be enforced, because the court deed is beautiful tally.

It passed the legislature in the slip of 2019 and came into effect in January of 2020, he said. But also, you know, the pandemic happened and everyones focus turned elsewhere. So the paperworks still exasperating in the future to an agreement how to enforce this.

READ MORE: New governing body to oversee rub therapy regulations in Saskatchewan

Fairbairn, the Health and Wellness spokesperson, said any person or running, including MTANS, can file a illness as soon as the police if they are concerned that someone is in contravention of the legislation.

With any choice legislation we continue to engage furthermore stakeholders a propos implementation to ensure it is involved as meant, she said.

Massage therapy is currently regulated in five provinces, and a sixth Saskatchewan recently passed legislation to regulate smooth therapy.

Importance of trust

Stevens isnt the first daub therapist in Nova Scotia to be accused of crimes of this flora and fauna. Another rub therapist, Martin Huybers of Upper Nine Mile River, was arrested in July 2018 after a woman accused him of sexually assaulting her at his wellness middle.

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Since with, irregular seven women have accused Huybers of sexual onslaught and he faces a steadfast of 10 charges. His decision hearing is scheduled for July 15 at Shubenacadie Provincial Court.

READ MORE: N.S. massage therapist faces 6 sex violent behavior charges after more alleged victims come attend to

While Huybers wasnt an MTANS lover he belonged to the Massage Therapists and Wholistic Practitioners Association of the Maritimes his lawsuit helped spark the shove for title protection, said MacDonald.

At the era that he was charged, this every single one did bring regulation in massage therapy to the forefront, he said. It was beautiful massive.

MacDonald said trust surrounded by a massage therapist and a client is every single one important and a have emotional impact once this could be disruptive to that.

He frantic that the majority of massage therapists are professionals who sore to backing people, and more regulation would then make the industry stronger and safer.

I would accustom that the majority of our members strongly would choose to have massage therapy regulated, he said.

They view themselves as health-care professionals providing a intensely severe encouragement in the place of health care, and to be thoroughly credited in that pretension, theyd quirk regulation as an essential component of that.