See what benefits await you. 83

Transcription

1 e g s s M l g e L is n m u H g n i k c Trffi t o N s i i e O sb o By Krr 82 mssge & bodywork jnury/februry 2013 rn

2 The subject mkes for uncomfortble converstions, nd it s certinly esier to ignore, but the impct humn trfficking hs on the mssge therpy profession is undenible. Mssge-prlor nd humntrfficking regultions re ll too prevlent throughout our profession s legisltive lndscpe these dys. Within the scope of some of these lws, legitimte, lw-biding mssge therpists re, by defult, lumped into the seedy mix of mssge prlors nd forced to comply with everything from blood tests nd bckground checks to posting humn trfficking hotline numbers in their plces of business. Frustrtion nd nger re the underlying emotions s therpists nvigte the unfortunte relity tht oftentimes puts them in the sme regultory ctegory s escorts nd prostitutes, nd mkes them suspect for humn trfficking violtions simply becuse of their creer choice. There is no doubt tht our chritble herts extend to the victims of humn trfficking, nd there re individuls nd entities in our profession who re doing good work dvocting for the freedom of these women nd children (see Mking Difference, pge 86). Whether we re uncomfortble with this relity or not, this is our new norml, nd we must decide collectively nd individully how we ddress it. See wht benefits wit you. 83

3 mssge is legl; humn trfficking is not Wht We re Deling With Worldwide, humn trfficking is sid to hve more thn 20 million victims t ny one time, 1 with its scope covering everything from forced lbor in the whet fields of Knss to the enslvement of 12-yer-old in the commercil sex industry in Cliforni. Humn trfficking is the second lrgest criminl industry in the world (second only to drug trfficking), nd the fstest growing, ccording to the US Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services. 2 In our profession, it is sex trfficking, under the guise of mssge, with which our nme is most often ssocited. Signs of Humn Trfficking According to the Polris Project, one of the leding orgniztions in the fight ginst humn trfficking, Women found in brothels disguised s mssge businesses typiclly live on-site where they re confined nd coerced into providing commercil sex to 6 10 men dy, seven dys week. The group estimtes there re more thn 5,000 of these fke mssge businesses ntionwide. 1 Here re some telltle signs of illicit ctivity: All-mle clientele rrive lte into the night. Windows nd doors re brred. Women working there hve long fingernils, nd my not wer pproprite ttire. Interior doors re locked so people must be given ccess into bck rooms. Security cmers monitor re ctivity. Windows re blcked out. Note 1. Polris Project, ccessed December 2012, The Polris Project, one of the leding orgniztions in the fight ginst humn trfficking, reports tht sex trfficking often hppens in mssge prlors disguised s legitimte mssge businesses. [These prlors] operte s commercil-front brothels climing to offer legitimte services such s mssge, cupuncture, nd other therpeutic, helth, nd sp services, the group sys. And while these illegl mssge prlors my ctully offer nonsexul services like mssge, they re distinguishble from other legitimte mssge businesses in tht they provide commercil sex to customers s well. 3 A Polris Project fct sheet clims tht these brothels concel the commercil sex opertion by registering nd ttempting to behve like legitimte businesses. Unlike other informl underground brothels, these brothels crete veil of legitimcy by interfcing with, nd operting within, norml government nd regultory infrstructures. 4 As result, sex trfficking, which involves the enslvement of womn or child to provide commercil sex, is difficult to tlk bout, not only becuse of its despicble nture nd its pprent bility to hide in plin sight, but becuse it s difficult to understnd how trfficking differs from other lyers of illicit ctivity going on in illegl businesses climing to perform mssge. Wsn t the converstion difficult enough when we were deling with the difference between mssge therpy businesses nd the mssge prlor cross town where women choose to prostitute themselves using mssge s their front? Now we must dd to the confusion by hving yet nother criminl ctivity sex trfficking operting under the guise of mssge. Which illegl business is offering sexul services from women who re of ge nd working by choice, nd which is hrboring nd enslving women nd children s victims of sex trfficking? Our words only entngle us further. Why do regultions exist tht ddress the legl protocol for mssge prlors when they re whether by offering illicit services or unlicensed mssge inherently illegl estblishments to begin with? It s regultory ctch-22. Historiclly, mssge prlors hve been linked to prostitution, but investigtions hve proven tht mny [people] re trfficked nd forced into working in these estblishments, sys Roger Ptrizio, director of the Colordo Institute of Mssge Therpy in Colordo Springs nd founder of Touching the 84 mssge & bodywork jnury/februry 2013

4 World, group tht dvoctes ginst humn trfficking. He sys tody it is common knowledge tht mny prostitutes re victims, not criminls. Elisbet Medin, cse mnger who works with survivors of humn trfficking in Cliforni through the nonprofit dvoccy group Opening Doors, sys it s chllenge for lw enforcement nd those dvocting for victims of humn trfficking to identify wht s relly hppening behind those closed doors of the mssge prlors. We cn t tell where prostitution stops nd sex trfficking begins, she sys. Distinguishing between victims nd prostitutes is n ongoing problem. We wlk fine line. Prostitution cn be gtewy to humn trfficking, or symptom of something deeper. When we dvocte for clients, we don t lwys mke the ssumption tht they re there by choice, Medin sys. It relly is vicious cycle. Pying the Price Just s it s been n effective front for prostitution, mssge therpy is nturl cover for criminls involved in sex trfficking wht other legitimte business involves clients disrobing nd lying nked on tble? In the field of helth cre, mssge hs lwys been treted differently, prtilly becuse of this fct. Chrging legitimte mssge therpists up to $3,000 for business license while other helthcre providers py nothing, forcing them to set up business in wrehouse districts, nd sking MTs to tke blood tests, undergo physicl exms, nd submit to fingerprinting ll illustrte the disprity. And now, two sttes (with t lest 11 more hving similr converstions in their legisltive hlls in 2013) 5 require irports, trin sttions, nd other highly trfficked res, s well s mssge businesses, to post humn trfficking hotline informtion in the public s view. It s n ide sound in its intent, but some rgue its implementtion is fulty. Is it punishment or good prctice to insist MTs post the humn trfficking hotline number? Is it hrmful to business, or the right thing to do? Ptrizio understnds the sensitivity to this issue. A business owner or employee my feel like they re being implicted in this crime industry [by hving to post the hotline], he sys. I cn understnd tht this my seem unfir becuse most mssge therpists proudly demonstrte the highest ethicl Posters My Be Required in Your Business If you live in stte tht requires, or is considering requiring, mssge businesses to post humn trfficking hotline informtion, here re few suggestions. While you must dhere to the lw, which my detil everything from pper size to the size of the font to be used for these posters, there is nothing tht sys you hve to put it on neon pper with rrows drwing ttention to it. Put it on pretty pper insted, nd frme it like your business license or other items hnging on your bck wll. As humn trfficking groups remind us, there is nothing wrong with educting the public bout the issue, nd if sked, you cn tell clients bout humn trfficking nd how you dvocte for its victims by being proctive in your own profession. Follow the lw nd hve your wht does tht men elevtor speech redy when clients sk. You re not tht, nd tht is not you, so be confident nd prepred with your explntion. (Members of Associted Bodywork & Mssge Professionls will be given notifiction when they re impcted by these bills nd given direction on how to proceed.) nd professionl stndrds s they dy-in nd dyout mke people s lives little bit esier nd lot helthier. But personlly, I believe the simple posting of hotline number will rise more wreness with our clients nd collegues to this vst problem of modern-dy slvery. And if this leds to just one girl seeing this number, clling it, nd finding new life, it is most purposeful. If it leds to more individuls recognizing this problem nd getting involved s modern-dy bolitionist or keeping n lert eye out, then gin, well worth it. See wht benefits wit you. 85

5 mssge is legl; humn trfficking is not Ptrizio sys he lso understnds the frustrtion. I believe tht most trined mssge therpists remin disturbed by the public s perceived ssocition we hve with mssge prlors, though this commonlity is only through the shred nme of mssge, he sys. We my lwys hve unethicl sexul behvior linked to our industry, nd in our society t lrge, but I do feel with more diligence in mssge therpy legisltion nd unified ledership, we cn sy no to prostitution under the guise of mssge therpy, nd get tht nme mssge out of prlors nd illicit mssge businesses cross the country. StoP regulting, Strt enforcing With ll the regultions impcting the mssge nd bodywork profession tody, some re sking, When is it enough? The stte regultion of mssge therpists cn serve s tool for lw enforcement, sys Jen Robinson, director of government reltions for Associted Bodywork & Mssge Professionls. Stte-licensed mssge therpists hve been vetted by the stte. Their eduction hs been verified, they hve pssed n entry-level exm, nd in most cses, they hve pssed bckground check. They re professionls. In perfect world, Robinson sys, locl lw enforcement would stop by locl businesses dvertising or offering mssge therpy nd check tht the therpists re ll licensed. If they come cross n illicit business offering mssge nd the prctitioner is not licensed, the person is breking the lw. The business should be shut down t the locl level, nd the person climing to be offering mssge should be reported to the stte bord nd prosecuted. This bsic enforcement of existing lws does not hppen enough, Robinson sys. Insted of funding n enforcement effort, mny sttes re Mking Difference It ws 10 yers go when Roger Ptrizio, director of the Colordo Institute of Mssge Therpy, first becme wre of the humn trfficking issue nd relized tht children round the world, some s young s 4 yers old, were being housed in filthy brothels for the purpose of sexul exploittion. I felt compelled to do something bout this, nd owning mssge school brought me the opportunity to estblish nonprofit through our compny resources. In 2004, he creted Touching the World, nonprofit ment to rise wreness surrounding humn trfficking nd lend finncil support to regionl orgniztions tht re rescuing nd rehbilitting trfficking victims. His school s community service mssge progrm helps fund the work. While Touching the World collbortes mostly with locl humn trfficking groups, it hs lso lent its support to ntionl nd interntionl groups when it cn. Ptrizio sys progress hs been mde in the fight ginst humn trfficking, nd will continue to be mde s grssroots efforts by moderndy bolitionists tke hold. I would encourge those who feel led to stnd up, look in your community for orgniztions tht re lredy tckling this issue, nd get involved One person doing lot is beginning, but mny people doing little will ccomplish gret things. Together, we cn, nd re, mking difference. Ptrizio looks forwrd to the dy his nonprofit closes its doors for good. Our gretest success would be when we re no longer needed. In the mentime, we will continue to rise wreness, encourge others to stnd up nd fight injustice, nd support the worldwide network of humn trfficking orgniztions tht re rescuing nd rehbilitting victims. For more informtion bout Touching the World, go to 86 mssge & bodywork jnury/februry 2013

6 mssge is legl; humn trfficking is not Tips for Your Business nd Personl Sfety Humn trfficking impcts the mssge nd bodywork profession from mny ngles. Here re some wys to keep yourself sfe nd put distnce between you nd the mssge-prlor businesses tht re hijcking your nme. 1. Operte leglly by hving ll your proper licensure, credentils, nd continuing eduction. Disply your license proudly. 2. Be smrt with your business nme. The words you choose should reflect nothing but professionlism. Avoid choosing something tht is too cute. 3. If you employ others, screen them well. Get bckground checks nd school trnscripts if you re in n unlicensed stte. 4. Advocte for victims of humn trfficking. 5. Mke good personl choices. Like your business nme, your ppernce should reflect nothing but professionlism. 6. Hve pln if you do offsite mssge work. Cll collegue before nd fter your session to check in; if clled to hotel, let the front desk know wht room you re visiting nd your expected deprture time. (You cn red more on good outcll procedures in the rticle Outcll Service nd Sfety in the Successful Business Hndbook, vilble in the Members section of 7. Hve policies in plce for when situtions rise. If client becomes inpproprite during session, wht will you do? And wht do you define s inpproprite? Role-ply these difficult situtions with collegue so tht you hve the confidence to crry out your policies if need be. 8. Choose your dvertising venues, nd your dvertising messges, crefully. Bckpge.com or Crigslist re not the best choices for mssge therpists nd cn certinly bring some unwnted cllers. 9. Screen new cllers thoroughly. Hve script redy so you ren t cught off gurd. 10. Educte the public whenever you cn bout helthy touch nd trined therpists, nd how mssge prlors nd mssge therpy re two very different businesses. 11. Spek out on the importnce of enforcing the regultions tht re lredy in plce, nd dvocte for officils to provide the resources to mke enforcement top priority. now considering regulting mssge businesses s well s the individul. It cretes nother regultion for lw-biding mssge therpists to follow nd py for, while criminls continue to operte unscthed. Lws re only s good s their enforcement, Robinson sys. And while mny might think tht stte mssge regultory bords cn solve the problem, Robinson reminds us tht these bords cn only discipline the licensee or fine those prcticing without license. They hve no other legl uthority, she explins. Bords need lw enforcement to del with the criminls. New York mssge therpist Jonne Crovets hs tried for yers to do the right thing nd get enforcement to work. When I got into this profession nerly 20 yers go, this subject [of illegl mssge businesses] ws thorn in my side. Admittedly, she sys, it still is. This is nerly impossible nut to crck if they don t enforce their own lws, she sys of stte regultory bords. They encted ll these lws nd then the lws re not followed. She notes tht within three blocks of her home, there re t lest five businesses purporting to offer therpeutic mssge tht re operting illeglly. But when she clled the uthorities, she ws told they didn t hve the mnpower to check them out. It is so frustrting, she sys. I would seek out these illegl plces nd report them on my own, without py, if I thought there would be result. Unfortuntely, she s seen tht s not the cse. Others re pushing for enforcement s well. Unlike other humn trfficking support groups, Opening Doors does not dvocte for certin bill or regultion, Medin sys, but rther dvoctes for lw enforcement. If [enforcement] is mde priority for elected officils, then it will become See wht benefits wit you. 89

7 mssge is legl; humn trfficking is not Humn Trfficking Resources Interntionl Justice Mission: Not for Sle: Opening Doors: Polris Project: Restore Innocence: Shred Hope Interntionl: Touching the World: priority for lw enforcement. It s only done through public outcry, she sys. Enforcement is not mtter of will, it s mtter of resources, Medin sys. Prior to 2008, vice units were regulting mssge prlors, long with county code enforcement officers, the sheriff s deprtment, nd locl lw enforcement. Erik Gonzlez, progrm director of immigrtion legl services t Opening Doors, sys mny gencies lost their vice deprtments, which once oversw much of this enforcement, fter the economic downturn in Stff resources re short, they sy, leving mssge prlors to fll through the crcks. As result, since 2008, the number of these mssge prlors hs grown exponentilly, lmost tripling in the lst four yers, ccording to Medin. Medin pints the picture of regultory filure tht s occurred in Scrmento, where there is one person responsible for hndling the oversight of ll mssge estblishments, which includes pproximtely 150 pplictions week. They brely hve time to do the bckground check, let lone go in nd visit ech estblishment. Gonzlez sys current mssge prlor lws re lredy strong. We don t see need to chnge the lw. Our pproch is relly to collborte nd work s collective with lw enforcement. Wht Cn You Do? While mssge nd bodywork schools cn certinly be prt of the nswer by hving checks nd blnces within their own system to ensure credibility nd prevent the illegl sle of trnscripts, dvoctes sy much of the chnge we cn effect within our profession will come from the individul mssge therpist nd bodyworker. We re encourging mssge therpists to come longside us, nd we re sking them to be educted bout humn trfficking nd be our eyes nd ers in the community bout wht s going on, Medin sys. The more tht legitimte mssge therpists cn come forwrd nd defend their profession, the more helpful it is to both victims of humn trfficking nd to legitimte mssge therpists, Gonzlez dds. Ptrizio grees tht there is much mssge therpist cn do. I do not pretend to hve the nswers, but I know for certin tht simply ccepting criminl ctivity nd injustice, becuse it hs lwys gone on, is not the nswer, he sys. Sying no to injustice cn be the first step for creting positive nd lsting chnge. Notes 1. US Deprtment of Stte, Trfficking in Persons Report, June 2012, ccessed December 2012, documents/orgniztion/ pdf. 2. US Deprtment of Helth nd Humn Services, ccessed December 2012, news/fctsheet/humntrfficking.html. 3. Polris Project, Asin Mssge Prlors in the United Sttes, ccessed December 2012, resources-by-topic/sex-trfficking. 4. Ibid. 5. Registered mssge therpists (RMTs) will be exempt from Colordo s new posting requirements; Cliforni posting regultions will exempt those therpists certified by the Cliforni Mssge Therpy Council (CAMTC). Florid hs just signed humn trfficking regultion, which requires the plce of business, nd nyone working within, to provide vlid government documenttion nd identifiction. Other sttes considering regultion tied to humn trfficking include Louisin, Mrylnd, Minnesot, Nebrsk, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklhom, Tennessee, Texs, Vermont, nd Wshington. Krrie Osborn is contributing editor for Mssge & Bodywork mgzine. Contct her t krrie@bmp.com. See wht benefits wit you. 91