Touch Therapy 4UNow, Must Travel

A Canadian minister has been found guilty of sexual assault for his "touch therapy" method of handling a young man struggling with his sexuality. And by "touch therapy" we mean "having sex with."

The alleged victim, now 29, told court he started meeting Lewis for counselling sessions in early 2000 after his parents caught him viewing gay pornography on the family computer.

Lewis — a family friend and minister — confided he had his own sexual identity issues and the two embarked on weekly counseling sessions designed to “assist me to be straight and to live a straight life,” the man said.

The man said Lewis started a program of “touch therapy,” which included the two kissing and fondling each other and engaging in sexual roleplaying.

“He said I was to tell no one about it because no one would understand,” the man testified. During “touch therapy” sessions in Lewis’ car, Lewis asked him to masturbate, the man said. Lewis also admitted to fantasizing about him, the man said.

Simenik said yesterday the men didn’t become sexually intimate until a year after they started seeing each other.

“It started as a friendship, evolved, they became closer ... two consenting adults involved in mutual intimacy,” Simenik said.

Over on Ex -Gay Watch, some commenters don't feel this young man is a victim. Opinions?