Human Trafficking In Massage Parlors: The Polaris Report
If you read some of the available books about sex trafficking, you might be left with the idea that this crime is perpetrated mainly by pimps working for themselves, trafficking teenage girls and pocketing the money. In reality, though, many traffickers operate as part of a larger network having the hallmarks of an organized crime syndicate. Recently, Polaris, an organization dedicated to disrupting these networks as part of their fight against human trafficking, published a report titled “Human Trafficking In Illicit Massage Businesses.” In this 100 page study, the Disruption Strategy team at Polaris details how illicit massage businesses (IMB) operate, who their victims are, who frequents these businesses, and strategies to shut them down.
The issue of trafficking and prostitution in illicit Massage Businesses (IMB) is not a minor one. Polaris reports that there are about 9000 IMB’s operating in this country. They generate a staggering $2.5 Billion in revenue and drive a massive human trafficking network. To make matters worse, much of the public has become blind to the real problem these businesses represent. According to the report:
The sheer number of fake massage businesses, coupled with the impunity with which they operate, has over time fostered widespread—if tacit—cultural acceptance of the industry. The frequent wink wink, nudge nudge references to “happy endings,” in popular culture is just one manifestation of perception that while commercial sex is illegal, in this context, it is essentially harmless.
As we’ll see, it’s anything but harmless.
Operating an illegal prostitution business is, obviously, a crime, and there are victims. Who are the victims? According to the report, the women working as prostitutes in an IMB are typically Chinese or Korean (although some come from other Asian countries) and in their mid thirties to early fifties. They at best have a high school education, and they may have significant financial needs. Many are supporting children. They may have used a broker to find them jobs in the USA, sometimes paying $5000-$40,000 in fees, only to find that the broker is fraudulent and that they have been trafficked into a life of slavery and prostitution. In other cases, they may have answered newspaper, online, or social media ads that promised high pay and good hours.
Once the women are in the grasp of the traffickers, several methods are used to keep them enslaved. Often, they are forced to live on-site, or they may be confined to an apartment and only allowed to leave to go to work. They may be forced to work 15-24 hours a day and be on call when not actually at the IMB. Moving the women from business to business within the trafficking network keeps them hidden from would-be rescuers. The women are controlled by fear and intimidation: fear of deportation, fear for their families, sometimes even fear of violence.
Often cultural identity works against the victims. For example, the Chinese have an ingrained sense of family and a deference to elders that may make them reluctant to challenge authority. Their traffickers use knowledge of cultural norms to maintain control over the women. There are even cases where the social nature of some ethnic groups allows them to be lured into prostitution by members of their own migrant community. According to Polaris:
Recruiters..know that recent immigrants are likely to seek advice and support from extended community networks. In a socially-oriented and collectivist culture like China’s, social affiliations are often “satisfied within already established groups,” which encourages seeking support from existing relationships….By tapping into these existing communities, traffickers can easily recruit victims due to the high level of initial trust in recommendations from these sources, based on traditional use of relationships for professional, social, and organizational levels.
The Polaris report goes beyond an analysis of the victims. Polaris delves into the demographics of the men who frequent the IMB’s. They are, obviously, the reason these illicit businesses stay open, as an industry can’t exist without demand. According to Polaris, the “customers” come from all walks of life, but are typically white and well off. They find the businesses through sources such as Backpage and Craigslist. There is even a web service called Rubmaps that helps them locate massage parlors and provides reviews about the women. Rubmaps offers paid subscriptions for regular users.
As I’ve already discussed, IMB’s stay in business because they usually exist as part of a larger organized crime network. The report details the typical business model:
The average illicit massage business connects to at least one other illicit massage business as well as non-massage venues such as nail salons, beauty shops, restaurants, grocery stores, and dry cleaners. Overwhelmingly, these connected businesses are used to launder money earned from the illicit massage business.
There will also likely be links to “ethnic crime groups,” and shell companies are used to shield the identities of the perpetrators. Unfortunately, sometimes even local taxi companies and busing services may be involved, providing traffickers a ready-made means of moving victims around.
Given that IMB’s seem to be so prolific, and considering that they are frequently engaged in human trafficking, it is important to be able to recognize whether or not a massage business is engaging in illicit practices. The report details several “indicators” that are common among IMB’s:
•Prices significantly below market-level (e.g. $40 for a one-hour massage in a city where $80 is the norm)
•Women report that they need a large tip (e.g. for expenses, food, family), sometimes even expressing distress if they do not receive a tip
•Women typically serving customers excessive hours, or being on call at all times
•Women appear to be living in the business or women living in trafficker-controlled secondary site (e.g. apartment, house)
•Serves primarily or only male clientele
•Locked front door, customers can only enter if buzzed in, or enter through back or side doors that are more discreet
•Windows are covered so passersby cannot see into the establishment
•Regular rotation of women coming in every several weeks
•Advertising on commercial sex websites like Rubmaps.com, Backpage.com, or aampmaps.com
In the end, all of this analysis only matters if it leads to a set of realistic solutions. The final part of the report details a “multifaceted” response to the problem of illicit massage businesses. Already, finance and credit card companies are getting better at recognizing illicit businesses and business practices. There are still many obstacles, though. Since many municipalities focus their efforts on arresting the women instead of regulating the businesses, they inadvertently reinforce fear of the police among the victims. This often makes them unwilling to cooperate in investigations. Further, the laws regulating massage businesses vary widely state to state and city to city, so there is no cohesive response to the problem. Lack of funding among law enforcement and municipalities is a major issue as well. Agencies need people who understand the languages and cultures of the victims, and the money is often just not available.
The Polaris report does recommend some effective strategies that can be employed against IMB’s:
•Law enforcement and code enforcement agencies should work together. If code enforcement finds a problem, law enforcement can act on the information they provide.
•Loopholes in local, state, and federal laws need to be closed.
•Massage parlor operators should be made to engage in legitimate business practices. It has already been shown that if regulations are in place preventing patrons from using side doors or doors with buzzers, they will avoid frequenting the businesses. The same is true if business hours are regulated.
•Be sure that massage therapists and other employees have a say in their working conditions
•Shell companies need to be unmasked, and business registration processes need to be “overhauled.”
By now, you are probably asking if there is anything you can do to help. One obvious solution would be to not frequent establishments that seem to be involved in illicit practices. The Polaris report lists several others ways in which you can help:
•”Call out the press when they expose potential victims” instead of the business operators.
•Contact your county commissioners and state legislators. Ask that they support laws that make the operation of IMB’s as difficult as possible.
•Make sure existing laws are enforced.
•Provide financial support to services for survivors.
•Educate others about the problem.
Source:
Human Trafficking In Illicit Massage Businesses. Polaris
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