FL--Massage therapist is guilty of battery; Victims respond
For immediate release: Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Statement by Barbara Dorris of St. Louis, Outreach Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (314 503 0003 cell, [email protected])
We are grateful that a judge found an ex-West Boca Massage Envy staffer guilty of battery on a female client. We hope Raymond L. Smith Jr. never again works as a massage therapist and that others with information or suspicions about his crimes will come forward, get help, call police, protect others and deter employers from acting recklessly, callously and deceitfully in such cases.
We applaud this brave woman for doing her moral and civic duty by reporting Smith to law enforcement. We hope others who may be suffering in silence, shame and self-blame will do likewise.
We should never underestimate the emotional and psychological damage caused when a trusted individual betrays that trust, even if it’s brief or non-violent or “just one time.” The violation is often devastating, regardless of the specific crime or crimes.
No matter what company officials do or don’t do, we urge every single person who saw, suspected or suffered child sex crimes and cover ups in massage parlors – especially at Massage Envy – to protect kids by calling police, get help by calling therapists, expose wrongdoers by calling law enforcement, get justice by calling attorneys, and be comforted by calling support groups like ours. This is how kids will be safer, adults will recover, criminals will be prosecuted, cover ups will be deterred and the truth will surface.
(SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, is the world’s oldest and largest support group for clergy abuse victims. SNAP was founded in 1988 and has more than 20,000 members. Despite the word “priest” in our title, we have members who were molested by religious figures of all denominations, including nuns, rabbis, bishops, and Protestant ministers. Our website is SNAPnetwork.org)
Contact - David Clohessy (314-566-9790 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Dorris (314-503-0003 cell, [email protected]), Barbara Blaine (312-399-4747, [email protected])
Judge rules guilty verdict in case involving West Boca Massage Envy
Published - 2:29 PM EDT May 10, 2016
BOCA RATON, Fla. —A Palm Beach County man has pleaded guilty to battery after he was named in a civil lawsuit filed against West Boca Massage Envy.
Raymond L. Smith Jr., a massage therapist, was charged with battery on May 10 after a woman claimed a therapist touched her genitals toward the end of the massage.
Smith did not plead guilty to battery.
Instead, the judge sentenced him to . . .
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director
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