An Australian masseuse has banned male clients from her studio after repeated inappropriate requests and comments from current and prospective male clients.
Kessley Ham, 39, the owner of Eternal Energy Healing and Wellness in South Perth, told news.com.au that moving forward, her business will only serve women, including trans women and non-binary clients.
It all started earlier this week when she was venting to two of her team members about the “relentless” stream of inappropriate booking requests she had received online.
She said requests for ‘sensual’ or nude massages were common, despite it being clear on the studio’s website and Instagram that it’s not that kind of business.
“To my shock, both staff then shared their own experiences of inappropriate behavior from clients in our studio,” she said.
The decision to ban male clients
Some of these incidents included a male client groaning on the massage table and “writhing” around, “orgasm-style,” and another person who wanted to discuss their sex life with the masseuse.
Another involved a male client repeatedly commenting that his underwear was “uncomfortable and twisted” during the massage.
“That was the moment I knew I had to take action. My team’s safety is non-negotiable. No one should feel unsafe or uncomfortable in their workplace — especially in a space dedicated to healing,” she said.
The need for women-only spaces
She chose not to pursue other approaches to combat the lewd behavior, as “this wasn’t about business strategy” or retaining clients, but a pressing safety issue.
“Women deserve spaces where they can fully relax, physically, emotionally, and energetically, without being on high alert,” Ham said.