Some massage therapists across the state said they have been feeling frightened, violated and disgusted because someone has been sending them lewd text messages and pornographic images to their cell phones.
A massage therapy association said 16 women have come forward in the last two weeks from at least six different towns.
NBC Connecticut spoke exclusively with one of the victims, who received the messages on her work cell phone.
“It's not something anyone should be subjected to. It's harassment,” said one woman who wanted to be anonymous because she was scared for her safety.
“It does give it a different senses of feeling violated,” she explained.
The texts were from a man who claimed to be “Steven,” who asked for an appointment.
The therapist replied and said she was booked. Then the man sent her a naked picture, something she couldn’t prepare for.
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“Really disgusted more than anything else,” the massage therapist said.
The woman called police and the Connecticut Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association to report the incident.
“People are scared,” Kerry Methot, president of the association, said.
She told NBC Connecticut that 15 others told her the same thing, and she’s received calls from therapists in Manchester, Vernon, Enfield, Bristol, West Hartford and Rocky Hill.
All of them claimed the racy texts were sent from the same number, but the person has been using aliases.
“He's also been using female names, so sometimes people getting contacted don't know if it's a male or female. It's been so crazy,” Methot said.
She issued a warning about the scare this week to more than 2,000 therapists across the state, urging them to come forward if they were targeted.
“We need to stop this from happening in the state,” Methot said.
Police in several towns said they were investigating these cases.
If you have any information call police.
