Jacksonville, Fla.--The largest massage franchise in the country is under investigation after 180 claims of sexual harassment have surfaced.
According to BuzzFeed News, the publication states it found allegations against the company's therapist nationwide.
BuzzFeed states lawyers for the victims report there have been numerous settled claims outside the courts with no paper trail. The article, by investigative writer Katie J.M. Baker, also points out that most sexual assault victims file no complaints at all.
Massage Envy does not require franchises to notify authorities of sexual assault complaints, unless required by local law. According to BuzzFeed, the company requires internal investigations but provides little direction on how to handle them.
In Jacksonville, there was only one online complaint of sexual assault posted against the Massage Envy in Ortega. First Coast Reached out to management and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office but did not receive confirmation during the time of this story.
In 2011, a 39-year-old Arlington man, Winston Anthony Dawkins, 39, was charged with sexual battery after a client made an outcry against him at a Massage Envy location in Mandarin, according to our partners at the Florida Times-Union.