Luang Prabang Kills the Love Affair With Laos

AUTHORITIES INVESTIGATE ALLEGATION OF MASSAGE ABUSE IN LAOS

Luang Prabang, Laos - Laos authorities annouced the creation of a task force to investigate a female Canadian's report of abuse suffered during a recent traditional Laos massage in Luang Prabang.

Della Rollins, a 28 year-old traveler and professional wrestler, filed an official complaint with Laos officials this week, alleging that she was throttled, pinched, punched and suffocated during a $3, hour-long massage.

Rollins claims that the massage started out innocently, but quickly progressed into a painful experience, where her body was contorted into several unnatural, uncomfortable positions, culminating with the masseuse climbing onto her back, effectively suffocating her.

"At one point the massuese climbed onto the table and was punching me. I was not sure that I was going to make it. Thoughts of friends and family helped me get through it," said Rollins.

In Canada Rollins had been attending bi-weekly massage therapy appointments with a registered massage therapist and was devasted by the experience. "I feel like all the work that I had accomplished with my massage therapist Krystyne has been erased," she said before breaking down into tears.

Having obtained a copy of Rollins' official complaint, photos show deep finger and hand-shaped bruises along her calves and wrist. Laos medical representatives sitting on the task force investigating the allegations of assault have been quick to point out that Rollins' injuries are consistent with those seen in other cases of massage abuse. In recent years there has been a rash of massage assaults on foreigners in South East Asian countries, including Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.

Rollins herself had been a casualty of a negative massage experience two years prior in Thailand, but had not felt that it was necessary to report that incident to Thai officials. She narrowly avoided being impaled through the nose with a perfectly manicured nail during a face massage, despite having requested a foot massage.

"I had such a bad experience two years ago, but that was in Thailand. I thought that Laos was going to be different," said Rollins.

Adding further mystery to the allegations is the questionable nature of the sex of the alleged abuser. In her complaint Rollins cited that she was unable to determine the sex of her masseuse, claiming only that the masseuse was a "Laos Manlady", a female who looks manly, a reverse "Thai Ladyboy".

"The View" massage shop in Luang Prabang refused to be interviewed for this piece, but issued a statement claiming, "We give good massage. Canadian stupid. She no know good massage."

The experience has not been all negative for the Canadian who claims that she will be incorporating some of the moves into her wrestling repetoire. Rollins is said to be considering replacing her signature "backpack" wrestling move with the new "Laos Massage", a move that would emulate the painful, suffocating position that she experienced when the Laos Manlady masseuse climbed on her back.