A woman who was raped by a therapist during a 'body work' session has been awarded more than £200,000 in damages in a high court ruling. Ella Janneh, 37, brought a civil claim against Michael Lousada, a self-styled psychosexual somatics practitioner, after he penetrated her without consent during a session at his clinic in Belsize Park, north London, in August 2016.
Janneh, who had suffered childhood sexual abuse, sought therapy to address panic symptoms during consensual sex. She paid £750 for a session she believed would involve talking therapy and physical work similar to physiotherapy. Instead, Lousada allegedly told her his penis could 'absorb trauma' and penetrated her without asking for consent. Janneh said she suffered a panic attack and was unable to communicate or give informed consent.
Lousada denied the allegations, claiming the sexual activity was consensual and part of legitimate therapeutic work. He had appeared on ITV's This Morning as an expert and described his methods as 'spiritual gifts'. However, the judge, Mr Justice Jeremy Baker, found that Janneh lacked capacity to consent because she became dissociative when asked to regress to her childhood abuse.
The court heard that Janneh developed complex PTSD after the incident, felt suicidal, drank excessively, and terminated a pregnancy due to her mental health. The judge ruled that Lousada's confidence in his own abilities clouded his perception of reality. Janneh was awarded at least £217,000 in damages.
After the judgment, Janneh said she felt 'incredibly proud' but also grieved for the eight-year fight for justice. She hopes her case will encourage other victims to come forward.
