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Massage Parlours

A very shady "spa" opened up recently in my small town. Just the atmosphere projected on the outside makes you wonder what really goes on inside. Not that I've had the gumption yet to wander in... However, it has not kept my busy brain and typing skills idle. The internet can give you all kinds of knowledge. Some of which you'd rather not be privy to. This being said, if you have any questionable places in your town and you can't really find any information, I have come across a website that may keep you in the loop. (eroticmp.com) Just because the owners of these establishments can keep their mouths closed, doesn't ensure that their seedy clientele can do so. I have discovered that there are almost 150 (known) in my state. A licensed state. Question is: why aren't the authorities doing anything? And what are you going to do about the ones near you?

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Permalink Reply by Tonya Brooks-Taylor on September 1, 2011 at 10:41am

For those of you interested, two other sites that you can check out that don't require a membership to search reviews by state are:

 

http://www.clreviews.com/forums/index.php

http://usasexguide.info/forum/

 

I've found these two offer names of businesses and also many times the names of the therapists (duh! I'm glad criminals are generally stupid. Way to go with leaving a roadmap). Anyway, I use these frequently to check out places I think are suspect (and they usually are). It's amazing how many on the surface 'legitimate' places are actually fronts for prostitution -- and quite busy I might add. I wish something was being done about this. Some of them in my area are becoming chains with sites in several neighboring towns. They advertise in legitimate and seedy publications. The lines are definitely blurred and it's a damn shame since legitimate therapeutic massage therapists like us are the ones that suffer for it, especially because there seems to be a growing perception that we all either provide illicit services or could be swayed into doing this!  I am so disgusted by it all that I sometimes find myself doubting my decision to get into this field.  It seems to be getting worse even though most states now require licensure.

Permalink Reply by Mike G on September 1, 2011 at 11:33am

 

This is America, your innocent until proven guilty. If a state inspector walks into an establishment and asks if they have unlicensed employees doing a massage, they of course going to deny it. Can an inspector just walk into any room where someone is getting a massage and demand to see a License? Would that constitute invasion of privacy  for the client? Or would the state inspector have to pay for a massage and in the middle of it demand to see there license? Far as I can see, the fines for unlicensed massage therapists range anywhere from $400 to $2,000, while it very well may pay for the salary of a full time employee with all the fines they charge, you have to consider that the Department of Professional Regulation has other license holders to verify as well. While it is certainly unfair that it's not a level playing field for people that follow the state regulations, the state is more interested in Dental, Medical, Nursing and Pharmacy's that are practicing without a license. These areas present a real risk to public safety, then an unlicensed massage therapist. This may be why the states are not diverting enough attention to the massage parlors, with limited state budgets there is only so many fish they can fry at once.       


Mike LMT said:

I think if the state hired just one more employee, and that person simply went from place to place, checking licenses and seeing first hand what goes on, they could more than make his salary in fines.
Permalink Reply by Daniel Cohen on September 1, 2011 at 12:03pm
rue Mike but it depends on the local laws. In Los angeles a local licensed massage place must leave doors unlocked for access by police. They (6 officers) have actually come in and guns drawn told the client on the table to get dressed because it would be a while to complete the investigation. The MT with limited English tried to talk to them and was literally slammed against the wall and a gun muzzle pushed aggainst her nose. This is LAPD. I haven't heard as bad from other cities although others are harassing and showing up with several officers to examine licenses even issuing tickets when state and not local licensed knowing they will be dismissed in court but making their point. Since CAMTC is not inclusive of the Korean & Chinese MTs and The massage organizations don't get involved in this issue they are on their own. They are hoping to show such force is needed to control massage because they don't want CA state licensing extended beyond the expiration of 2016. It is about money. $300 lost in fees for thousands of massage therapists who are state certified and work in the city. They tried to stop it with a state bill last year now this way. We are caught in the middle of a political turf war.
Permalink Reply by Kay Warren on September 28, 2011 at 11:42pm
Found a site that doesn't make you pay to see reviews... and reveiws "private" practitioners as well as "establishments" rubmaps.com. I was pleased that I didn't anything in my town on eroticmp.com, but there are 4 on rubmaps.  More food for the state board!   I'm actually really glad these sites exist.  I've had calls from other therapists asking if I've heard of a couple of these places.  now I know what to tell them to check out.
Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on September 29, 2011 at 12:40am
Well I think they should just legalize the prostitution thing..  That would protect the women in that industry for one thing...And then they can be listed under Brothal or something...And Massage is listed under Massage Therapy.  That would solve it...It goes on anyway.
Permalink Reply by Kay Warren on September 29, 2011 at 7:04am
I also think prostitution should be legal, regulated and taxed.  My problem isn't that prostitution is hapening, it's that they're defaming my profession to do it.
Permalink Reply by Daniel Cohen on September 29, 2011 at 9:49am
Interesting site www.rubmap.com. I wonder how they get the list of places. Most are not reviewed and are waiting for reviews so I guess they want to become the adviser on Asian Massage Parlors. Most reviews I looked at for my area said the places are legit, even the ones I am told are not. Remember the internet is not transparent and has a low level of truthfulness. In my area they seemed to be targeting Thai Massage and ignored others.

Kay Warren said:
Found a site that doesn't make you pay to see reviews... and reveiws "private" practitioners as well as "establishments" rubmaps.com. I was pleased that I didn't anything in my town on eroticmp.com, but there are 4 on rubmaps.  More food for the state board!   I'm actually really glad these sites exist.  I've had calls from other therapists asking if I've heard of a couple of these places.  now I know what to tell them to check out.
Permalink Reply by Gary W Addis, LMT on October 2, 2011 at 12:11pm

In MS, due to complaints, Yellow Pages finally instituted separate listings, for therapeutic massage which requires a license # to be displayed in the ad, and the other kind, which it calls relaxation massage.  These cathouses-- for that is what they are-- operate openly in MS, with huge signs that say "Massage Parlor" or Oriental Massage."

 

Legislators need to fix this.  Like Daniel, I don't mind that they exist (there is a need for sexual services, has been since Man first learned to speak).  I just wish they'd display the nature of their services openly, and not be permitted to employ the word "massage".   If a sex shop displayed a sign associating their service with Christianity, they'd go to prison quick enough.

Permalink Reply by Gary W Addis, LMT on October 7, 2011 at 9:26pm
Mississippi is infamous for its corrupt politics and local PDs.  There were casinos operating openly for about 50 years before it was legalized...lots of dirty money changed hands then, lots of dirty money circulates now, I'm sure.  A chunk of it is paid out by massage sex shops.  The state MT board is powerless to clean it up (legislators left a very large loophole when the state license was established).

Mike G said:

 

This is America, your innocent until proven guilty. If a state inspector walks into an establishment and asks if they have unlicensed employees doing a massage, they of course going to deny it. Can an inspector just walk into any room where someone is getting a massage and demand to see a License? Would that constitute invasion of privacy  for the client? Or would the state inspector have to pay for a massage and in the middle of it demand to see there license? Far as I can see, the fines for unlicensed massage therapists range anywhere from $400 to $2,000, while it very well may pay for the salary of a full time employee with all the fines they charge, you have to consider that the Department of Professional Regulation has other license holders to verify as well. While it is certainly unfair that it's not a level playing field for people that follow the state regulations, the state is more interested in Dental, Medical, Nursing and Pharmacy's that are practicing without a license. These areas present a real risk to public safety, then an unlicensed massage therapist. This may be why the states are not diverting enough attention to the massage parlors, with limited state budgets there is only so many fish they can fry at once.       


Mike LMT said:

I think if the state hired just one more employee, and that person simply went from place to place, checking licenses and seeing first hand what goes on, they could more than make his salary in fines.
Permalink Reply by Ashley Thurman on October 12, 2011 at 6:50am

My city yes city has over 40!  some which has been reported and busted but operating again within 24 hours!!! I talked to a girl who worked in one for over a year, She got busted but the owner paid off the cops. and when i researched the business it had been  busted over 5 times in one year but still operating in the same location under the same name! hmmmm now that makes me think alot. I have to pass this certain "studio"  weekly and i even see cop cars outside. So going back to the girl she said the cops that come in the owner allows them to get FREE services in trade they keep their mouths shut and dont arrest her girls. A cover up she uses is hiring LMT that are fresh out of school and when someone comes in for a therapeutic massage she gives them to the LMT. If the authorities are participating then who else can you contact?!  its SAD!

Permalink Reply by Daniel Cohen on October 13, 2011 at 10:29pm
the cops are local and this is a common story found all over the country. It is more difficult to pay off at the state level. If you want to try the place to report it is the state bmt http://bmt.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx.
Permalink Reply by Ashley Thurman on October 15, 2011 at 12:56am

thank you.

 

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