A woman who was allegedly raped during a therapeutic massage session has told the court she went into a freeze state during the attack, which stopped her from crying out or attempting to break free.
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Estuardo Ioberto Pazmino is currently on trial over the alleged sexual assault, which occurred as he was giving a 19-year-old fitness instructor a massage in May 2009.
Pazmino is accused of taking the woman's underpants off during the massage session, touching her inappropriately, and forcing intercourse without consent.
The court today heard evidence from the victim of the alleged assault.
She told the court via pre-recorded video that Pazmino had told her she was “gorgeous” and that he wished all of his clients were like her.
The victim said Pazmino pulled her underpants off, after spending some time massaging her gluteal muscles and her hamstrings.
She said she then heard the click of the door lock, before Pazmino returned to the massage table.
The court heard the woman went into shock when Pazmino began touching her.
The victim told Pazmino she wanted him to concentrate on her upper back, something she had already said to him before the therapeutic massage session began.
She said she felt a disconnection between her body and her mind, and a "freezing feeling" that made it impossible for her to cry out, or push the masseur away.
She said she was speechless, unable to voice anything she wanted to voice, or do anything that her mind was telling her to do.
The court heard the victim grabbed a towel during the assault, using it to cover her face so she didn’t have to witness what was happening.
Pazmino is facing three counts of sexual intercourse without consent and four counts of act of indecency.
The trial continues.