I've perused the boards here for a while but this is the first time I've posted, so please excuse me while I try to figure our the best way to write this without outing anyone (and taking forever). I am self employed and work in complementary healthcare at a chiropractic centre, and due to the physical nature of my job I often suffer with back and shoulder pain. Some time ago I booked some chiropractic treatment with the practice manager, and rather than pay him he suggested he come and have some treatments with me in return. For about 3 months I had treatment with him twice weekly, which was of great help for my back. I had never been for chiropractic treatment before and put my trust in him, as I know my clients do with me. We got on really well as colleagues (although obviously he was in somewhat of a position of power over me as I pay him rent for a room at the centre). He was always friendly and I am generally a warm, friendly person, although always professional at work. However, over the course of our treatments I slowly began to feel more and more uncomfortable. The nature of his conversation took a turn into 'banter', for example he would joke about 'inflicting more and more pain on me', would compliment me on the colour of my hair, how slim I was, then began to hug me at the end of treatments which progressed to kissing me on the cheek. On one occasion when I was standing next to him to treat him I felt his hand slide over to rest against my leg.. accident or not, I wasn't sure, but felt it wasn't and moved away. He would never offer me a gown but would have me strip down to my underwear, and if I said I was cold would just put a small hand towel over my knickers. It sounds really silly I know but I trusted him to be doing the right thing, as I would when I work. I would never leave a client feeling exposed. He found my gluteal muscles were very tight (true, they were, and he looks at the body as a whole so not just the spine) but he would spend a very long time massaging my buttocks and I just didn't quite feel comfortable. He would manipulate my hips/back a couple of times but the rest of the treatment would involve lots of hands on massage.
So.. at the beginning of the last treatment I had with him, several months ago, he had pulled the blinds down 'so I could relax more'. I was lying face down in my bra and knickers and he was massaging the bare skin of my buttock with one hand, and I felt his other hand resting between my thighs and then sliding up so that the ends of his fingers were touching my crotch (covered by my knickers). I froze and waited for him to move his hand but he didn't - it was probably only there for a minute or so but it felt like ages and I knew it wasn't accidental. No apology, nothing. Then he finally ran his hands down the back of my legs (that he had previously been massaging) and he said in a throaty voice 'oh your legs feel lovely now'. I felt in shock and like I was going to be sick.
To cut a very long story a little shorter, the treatment was over and I got out of the room ASAP. I was supposed to be treating him afterwards and after much pacing of my treatment room and wanting to run away, I knocked on his door and told him I couldn't treat him because he had touched me inappropriately. He had the nerve to ask what he had done, apologised profusely and professed no knowledge of having put his hand there. The conversation was brief and I left the building.. by the time I returned to treat another client he had gone. This was a Friday, and the next Monday he called me into his room and told me he'd had a dreadful weekend, he was so sorry, he'd taken a long hard look at himself and this would never happen again. All I could say was 'I appreciate your apology' (maybe too polite for my own good). Since then I've struggled with this massively. At present there is nowhere else locally where I can rent a room for the hours I need (I don't have room at home). I've built up a really good, loyal client base and until this happened was really happy at my workplace. I still am unless I see him, which is rarely and he avoids me like the plague. I worry that he may have done something similar to other people. I worry hugely that maybe I'm the only one, that he took advantage of his position and our professional relationship, that it's my word against his and that I'd lose my place of work and thus my ability to work (in the short term at the very least). He would know this, there are not lots of options locally. I love what I do and am still furious with him. I know women experience much, much worse but it felt like a violation to me and has had a big impact. The other day, after not telling any colleagues, I disclosed all of this to another female therapist at my workplace, who was aghast at his behaviour and encouraged me to talk to another, well seasoned colleague (a female chiropractor) for advice and to seriously consider reporting him. I now don't know what to do. Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.