A Perth sports massage clinic has been forced to publicly apologise for body-shaming one of its clients and calling her obese.
Hundreds of people have condemned Victoria Park Sports Massage Clinic after a private message labelling a client 'obese' was shared on Facebook on Tuesday night.
In the private message, Emma Traficante complained about a service at the clinic that she alleges left her in pain.
The clinic responded, apologising for Ms Traficante's experience and told her they would review the techniques their therapist was using.
But weeks later, the clinic sent the woman another message with a different tone.
"We're sure if you lose a lot of weight as your (sic) seriosly (sic) obese, that you will start to fell (sic) better!"
"Seriously Emma, we have reviewed you (sic) public Facebook page and not for one second do we believe you are 73kg.
"I know you maybe (sic) offended but we are trying to improve your mental health and you are not being honest with yourself and the public."
The woman replied, "I'm 73kg, I'm not fat thank you!" before the man, who is the partner of the director of the business, continued to berate her.
"Yor (sic) welcome to try and damage us as much as you like but all you (sic) posts will either be deleted or hidden," he said.
Ms Traficante then screen-shotted the private conversation and shared it online – sparking the southern suburbs sports clinic's Facebook page to become flooded with negative feedback and verbal attacks.
The man issued an apology shortly afterwards.
"Hi, I'm Damian, early tonight I made a private comment to a client that was quite out of character, from me," the apology post read.
"I wholeheartedly apologise and I was rude and wrong and assure [you] I've learnt my lesson, please forgive me. I'm going to have a rest for a while!"
The post, however, only further fuelled people's disgust over the man's original comments, with many claiming he had apologised publicly, but not personally to the woman involved.
"This is a half hearted swig at an apology to save your own face. And nobody accepts it. Good luck staying in business after this," wrote on commentator.
"Damian; felt pretty big to attempt to tear someone else down didn't it champ. Bet you are feeling not so brave now," wrote another.
A friend of the woman also came to her defence in response to the clinic's apology.
"I am not only disgusted that someone who is meant to be a professional would make a judgement and statement that is inaccurate and appalling, I can confirm this person is a size 8/10 and was fine before receiving the treatment and in tremendous pain after," she said.
"What a terrible business and manager and I have recommended they take their complaint to consumer protection."
Victoria Park Sports Massage Clinic director, Gene Hu, said Damian Ward was her partner, and did not provide therapy to clients.
She said he had been troubled recently.
"He said something on Facebook (without me knowing) and this morning I have over 400 people's comments on there - what he did was not right," she said.
"We do a good job, this company is 14 years old.
"I really do care about people's health, I try to help people be healthy."
Ms Traficante told WAtoday she was left "shaking with rage" after reading Damian's comments, but had been overwhelmed by the community support that followed.
"I was furious because not only have I recently lost 50 kilograms in the last year, the fact someone went along saying it was because of my weight that I had a problem with my neck and that nothing could fix it because I was fat (was hurtful)," she said.
"I am amazed, in a great way, by the response because everyone is stating it's not ok to body shame."
