Masseur Steven Goldberg sexually assaulted woman in ‘breach of trust’
A 67-year-old man who sexually assaulted a client during a massage at his clinic in Sydney’s east, will soon learn his fate.
A young woman who was sexually assaulted by a masseur at a Sydney massage practice says the assault will follow her for the rest of her life.
Steven Goldberg was found guilty in November of sexual intercourse without consent and sexually touching another person without consent.
The 67-year-old digitally penetrated the young woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, and pinched her nipple without consent during the massage on October 13, 2023.
In the Parramatta District Court on Thursday, Goldberg appeared via AVL from custody for a sentencing hearing.
‘I live with the consequences of this crime every day’
He sat quietly and watched on while a harrowing victim impact statement was read to the court on behalf of the woman.
In the statement, the woman said the assault damaged her sense of self and left her full of shame.
“It left me not knowing if I will feel confident in my skin again,” she said.
The woman said before the assault she felt comfortable and safe in the world.
Now, she says she is hyper aware of her surroundings and suspicious of people.
“The impact of the offender’s actions continue to affect me … I live with the consequences of this crime every day,” she said.
The woman’s mental health, employment, sense of self, her relationship, and her ability to trust medical practitioners have all been impacted by the assault, she said.
In her submissions, crown prosecutor Ann Bonnor said it’s important the court sends a message to massage therapists and other practitioners that don’t necessarily consider themselves to be regulated.
“The breach of trust was egregious in this case,” she said, submitting it as an aggravating factor.
Meanwhile, barrister April Francis, for Goldberg, told the court he “over-estimated his critical abilities to determine what the victim wanted”, and that his conduct was “not wicked”.
While it is a “very serious state of affairs” which Goldberg accepts, she said, he “wasn’t trying to take advantage” of the woman.
“He was trying to provide a therapeutic benefit … misguided and oblivious to the realities one might accept … but it is different than setting out to hurt or harm,” she said.
Guilty verdict
At trial, the jury was told it was not disputed that the 67-year-old digitally penetrated the victim, but that he believed he had her permission.
Goldberg had asked the woman to turn over onto her back about an hour and a half into the two hour massage before blindfolding her with a golden fabric, the court was told.
Ms Bonnor claimed Mr Goldberg massaged the woman’s breasts before beginning to massage near her groin, very close to her genitals.
“Are we alright to keep going?” he asked.
The jury heard the woman replied “yes” under the belief he was referring to the massage.
The woman told her friend and partner about the alleged incident later that day before going to police the following day.
The woman told the jury during her evidence that there was no discussion of any sexual aspect of the massage.
Ms Bonnor told the jury the woman had heard about Mr Goldberg’s practice while listening to a Kyle and Jackie O segment.
It is not alleged there was any indication during the segment that the massage practice offered a sexual element, nor is there any suggestion of any wrongdoing on the part of Jackie O or co-presenter Kyle Sandilands.
Goldberg will remain in custody, where he has spent the past 30 days, until his next court appearance in February.
Originally published as Masseur Steven Goldberg sexually assaulted woman in ‘breach of trust’
