Regina chiropractor accused of sexually assaulting women testifies he asks patients for consent

WARNING: This article may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​sexual violence or know someone affected by it.

A Regina chiropractor accused of sexually assaulting seven women in his care testified in his own defence Thursday, telling a jury he would get consent before touching his patients.

Ruben Manz told the court he would get patients to fill out forms and ask for consent before working on sensitive areas of the body, including the chest and buttocks.

"If we want to examine that area, I would tell them exactly where it is, so they know what's going on," the 49-year-old said.

"And then [I would] ask them if they're comfortable with that. And if they say yes, I would proceed."

He testified if he needed to work on women's chests, he would get them to move their breasts over, and if patients told him they were uncomfortable, he would stop.

"I've never required a patient to take off their bra," Manz said.

Manz is on trial at Court of King's Bench in Regina, accused of sexually assaulting the women between 2010 and 2020.

The complainants have testified Manz pulled or touched their breasts while he was stretching their necks.

The Crown has argued Manz was given access to the women by virtue of his role as their trusted medical caregiver and that he betrayed that trust by touching them sexually for no legitimate medical purpose.

Defence lawyer Blaine Beaven argued Thursday the type of neck stretch Manz performed is part of legitimate chiropractic treatment.

Beaven told the jury Manz is presumed innocent unless they decide otherwise, and that the jury must be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt to find the chiropractor guilty.

"We listen to people and in our mind we decide, based on everything we've seen here, do we believe them or not?" Beaven said.

Manz wiped tears from his eyes when asked about his family.