Sex assault victim sues trainer, Goodlife for 2023 attack

A woman who was sexually assaulted by a personal trainer at a Winnipeg gym in 2023 is suing her attacker and Goodlife Fitness Centres Inc.

The woman, who isn’t being named by the Free Press, filed the lawsuit against Joseph Patrick Luna and Goodlife in the Manitoba Court of King’s Bench earlier this month.

Luna, now in his late 20s, was working as a personal trainer at the Goodlife Fitness location on Regent Avenue West when he sexually assaulted the woman on Dec. 16, 2023. Luna was sentenced to 18 months in jail in June.

The suit says she had a personal training session scheduled on that morning and after warming up in a designated area, Luna asked her to move to a private consultation room, where he told her to sit and close the door.

“Luna proceeded to ask (the plaintiff) if she would allow him to place his fingers in her vagina. (She) refused. Luna repeated his request and each time (she) refused again,” reads the court filing.

Luna moved behind her and locked the door, before grabbing her by the neck and strangling her with one hand while touching her genitals with the other as she struggled to breathe and pleaded with him to stop, the court filing says.

Luna let go of her neck and stopped groping her after a number of minutes.

Upon leaving the gym, the woman reported the assault to Winnipeg police, and Luna was charged a few days later.

The woman claims Luna owes her monetary damages for the assault, inflicting mental suffering and breaching his duty of care.

The lawsuit also claims Goodlife breached its duties to her under her contract with the gym, including that its employees were properly screened and supervised and weren’t at risk of engaging in criminal activity against clients.

“(The plaintiff) says that as a result of the negligence of Goodlife, she suffered loss, injury and damages and continues to suffer physical, emotional, mental and psychological harm,” reads the claim. “(She) further says that such injury was foreseeable to Goodlife, and accordingly, Goodlife is liable … for its breach of duty of care.”

The lawsuit claims Goodlife should be held liable for Luna’s actions on its property.

The plaintiff has suffered psychologically since the assault and will continue to require therapy, her suit says.

In addition, she’s had difficulty working and continuing her education.

She’s seeking damages for pain and suffering, lost income and past and future medical expenses. No specific figure is included in the lawsuit.

Luna and Goodlife have not yet responded to the lawsuit.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca