Editor's note: Article details sexual assault, read at views discretion.
A Virginia Beach message therapist was sentenced to 16 years in prison for sexually assaulting his clients.
The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office said that their evidence proved that between March 28, 2022, and May 28, 2020, Malik Sayvon Williams, 29, sexually assaulted multiple woman while employed at Wine and Unwind Day Spa in Virginia Beach.
A victim reported that she was assaulted during a massage appointment to Virginia Beach police on April 20, 2022, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. Detectives contacted other clients of Williams, and multiple woman reported being assaulted.
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VB massage therapist found guilty of sexually assaulting multiple women
Detectives said that during an interview with Williams, he admitted to sexual conduct but claimed "most " women "consented," according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. Williams said the women consented by the way they looked at him, but he also said, "Sometimes I don't gauge it right."
During the case, an expert in massage therapy and its ethics testified that any sexual contact between a massage therapist and client is unethical and can result in the therapist losing their license, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. She also testified that massage clients are increasingly vulnerable because of the power differential between the message therapist and client.
Williams was charged with two counts of object sexual penetration, aggravated sexual battery and battery, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. He was found guilty in a jury trial on June 16 and sentenced on Sept. 18.
