CMTO held its third annual Prevention of Sexual Abuse Seminar on November 14, 2025. Seminar attendees heard from leaders in the Massage Therapy profession to address the disproportionate amount of sexual abuse complaints towards male RMTs/MTs, despite their low representation in the profession. Facilitated by Jeff Carolin – a conflict coach, relational mediator, and criminal defence lawyer, themes of the day included:

• Preventing gender-based violence;
• Addressing power dynamics between male RMTs/MTs and female clients;
• Fostering healthy masculinities and male allyship in professional environments; and
• Building skills for accountability and maintaining professional boundaries.

The day featured:

• Male Allies – a program of the Sexual Assault Support Centre of Waterloo Region – they gave two presentations: Sexual Violence in the Workplace, and, Masculinity, Violence, and Allyship.
• Facilitated discussions included: the importance of allyship in Massage Therapy, the impact of gender, and gender norms on an RMT’s/MT’s identity and practice, countering sexualization of Massage Therapy, and shifting the profession’s culture to prevent sexual abuse.
• A panel discussion on shared accountability featured:
• Amanda Baskwill: A PhD, educator, researcher, a former Registered Massage Therapist and Executive Editor of the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork.
• Gabriel Flamminio: An RMT/MT, educator, and academic program coordinator at Fanshawe College and member of the national executive board of the Canadian Massage Therapy Council for Accreditation (CMTCA).
• Archna Patel: a Registered Nurse and Psychotherapist with nearly 20 years of experience in trauma-informed care and neuroscience supporting both client mental health and the development of compassionate healthcare systems.

CMTO’s goal is to continue to educate, raise awareness, and reinforce that sexual abuse has no place in the Massage Therapy profession. This work will continue in 2026.