Human Trafficking: Illicit Massage Business

AcrosstheU.S.illicitmassagebusinesses(IMBs)areknownvenuesforhumantrafficking.Hiddeninplainsight,thesetraffickingestablishmentsaredisguisedaslawfulmassageorbodyworkbusinesses.Traffickerssecurevalidpermitsandlicensurewhichhelpthesevenuesappearaspermissiblebusinesses,whenactuallyafrontforexploitation.

Manyvictimsarerecruitedwithpromisesoflegitimateemployment.Traffickersarrangeandpaytravelfees,accommodations,andmayhelpsecurevisasandpassports.Victimshaveoftenaccruedtremendousdebtbythetimetheyarrivewhichisusedasameansofcontroltoforcethemtocomply.Languageandculturalbarriers,andlimitedknowledgeofrightsmakeitdifficultforvictimsinIMBstoseeksupport.

DiscussionQuestions1:22

HowdoesMei’ssituationmakehervulnerabletotrafficking?

1:49

WhatsignssuggestthismightbeanIMB?

2:28

WhatbarriersdoesMeifacethatmakeitdifficultforhertoseeksupport?

3:00

WhatmeansareusedtocontrolMeiandforcehertocomply?Howmightfeelingsofshameandpowerlessnessplayintothiscontrol?

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TheAMPModelofHumanTrafficking

Action:Inducing/recruitment/harboring/transporting/providing/obtaining

Means:Force,FraudorCoercion.Mayinclude:debtbondage/falsejoboffers/threats/intimidation

Purpose:sexualandlaborexploitation

Overview of IMBs

Accordingtothe2017Polarishumantraffickingreport,traffickingrelatedtoillicitmassagebusinesseswassecondinprevalencefollowingescortservices.

Polarisestimatesthatmorethan9,000IMBsareoperatingthroughoutAmericawithatotalrevenuebeingcloseto$2.5billionannually.

(https://polairsproject.org/sites/default/files/Full_Report_Human_Trafficking_In_Illicit_Massage_Business es.pdf)

Exploiting Vulnerabilities

Likemany,MeiwasrecruitedtotheIMBthroughpromisesofemployment,amassagelicense,andopportunitytolearnEnglish.Hertravelarrangements,visaandpassportweresecuredandpaidforbyheremployer.Uponarrival,Meilearnedherjobwasnotwhatshewaspromisedandshewasingreatdebt.Meiwastrapped.

“Ifelttrapped.Ididn’tknowanyoneintheUS.Ididn’tspeakEnglish.Ididn’thaveenoughmoneytoleave.”

Indicators of an IMB

Keysignsindicatingthatthismaybeahumantraffickingvenuesellingcommercialsexinclude:

• Clienteleareprimarilyorexclusivelymale• Womenliveonsiteintheestablishment• Excessivesecurity:cameras,lockeddoors,

coveredwindows,clientsbuzzedinandout• Extendedhoursofoperation,especiallylate-

nighthours• Heavyrelianceontips

OtherIndicators:

• Advertisingoncommercialsexwebsites• Frequentchangesinstorefrontsignage• Pricesformassagesignificantlybelow

marketprice

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Means of Control

Traffickersmanipulatethefearsoftheirvictims.Theymaythreatendeportation,violence,orarrest,orcontrolworkersthroughsocialisolationandrestrictedaccesstoresources.Theymayexploitworkersfinanciallybyofferingfraudulentjobsandthendemandingworktopayoffdebtaccruedthroughtravel,passportandvisaexpenses.

Meiexperiencesfeelingsofpowerlessnessandshameinitially.Shedoesn’tknowanyoneintheU.S.,isnotfamiliarwithherrightsasanimmigrantandworker,anddoesn’thaveenoughmoneytoleave.Shefearswhatwillhappentoherifshedoesn’trepayherdebts.Shetellsherfamilyeverythingisokandthatsheislookingforanotherjobwhilesendinghomeeverythingshecan.

Exposing IMBs

WeallplayaroleinexposingIMBs.Government,lawenforcement,themedia,businessowners,andthepublicallmustworktoexposeandendillicitmassagebusinesses.AshiftinperceptionisneededtounderstandtheharmcausedbyIMBs,andtorecognizetheexploitationofworkersagainsttheirwillisacrime.Servicesneedtobedevelopedsothatvictimscanreceivehelpandrebuildtheirlives.

Community-basedawarenesscampaigns,focusedregulation,andappropriatelytrainedculturallycompetentserviceprovidersarekeytotheeffort.IMBsmustbeexposedforwhattheyareforwhattheyare:humantraffickingoperationsoftenconductedbyorganizedcrimeEndingtraffickinginIMBsispossibleifweunitetoreducethewidespreadcomplacencythatallowsthemtoflourish.

Barriers to Support

MeiknowslittleEnglish,isindebttothetrafficker,andisunsureofherrightsorhowtogetsupport.Herculturalbackgroundmayinfluencefeelingsofshameandobligationthatthetraffickerisabletoexploit.

Lack of Regulation

Lawsandordinncesregulatingthemassageindustryareinconsistentacrossjurisdictions,andoftenvarywidelyevenwithinagivenstate.Thisinconsistencymakesiteasyfortraffickerstomovelocationsandsetupnewbusinesses.SystemicgapsinoversightcreatechallengestothosewhowouldconfrontIMBs.Potentialindicatorsoftraffickingsuchasextendedhoursofoperation,back-doorentrancesandbuzzercontrolleddoors,maynotviolateordinances,andmaynotraiseanyredflagstoobserversorregulators.