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Traffickers Next Door

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Deborah Dobbs


It’s tempting (and convenient) to believe that sex trafficking is a crime that occurs somewhere outside your community, on the fringe of society, not a few doors down from your favorite coffee shop. Not a block from the elementary school. Not a stone’s throw from where your kids play soccer. 


And there couldn’t be a sex trafficking operation next door to my favorite French restaurant—the beloved place where, for decades, my family has kicked off the Christmas season and celebrated every milestone, every victory, Easter, and Mother’s Day.


Alas, indeed there is. Sadly, they’re everywhere.


The particular “trafficking operation” to which I refer is an illicit massage business (IMB). It’s tempting to minimize this variety of sex trafficking, but IMBs are sinister. The victims are duped, isolated, and trapped in indentured servitude. IMBs are also one of the more insidious forms of trafficking because they present themselves convincingly as legitimate businesses.


On my podcast Dark Minds Shattered Lives, Episode 3, trafficking expert Joe Scaramucci describes IMBs and explains how you can identify them. As a detective with the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office, Scaramucci spent over a decade catching traffickers and educating others on the process. Now, he’s Director of Law Enforcement Training and Operations for Skull Games, a nonprofit organization devoted to interdicting sex predators.


Turns out, it’s easy to distinguish a legitimate massage business, like Massage Envy, from a trafficking operation.


Here are a few red flags:



1. Covered Windows


One of the most obvious indicators of an IMB is the physical appearance of the establishment. Unlike a legitimate business, IMBs cover the storefront windows. Usually, the windows are adorned with stock photos representing a spa. 


Stock photos are often used as disguises for trafficking operations.
Stock photos are often used as disguises for trafficking operations.

2. Online Reviews


Another easy step in identifying potential trafficking operations is to conduct a simple online search. A simple Google search of the phone number of the massage business, can reveal whether the establishment is linked to trafficking. (Be warned, if you do this, you might need a brain cleanse afterward.)



3. Clientele


The demographic of the clientele also serves as an important indicator. As Scaramucci pointed out, a legitimate massage parlor typically sees a mix of clients, including both men and women. If an establishment only sees male customers or the parking lot is consistently filled with male patrons, this should raise suspicions.


4. Hours of Operation


The hours during which a massage business operates also provide insight into its legitimacy. A legitimate business operates during standard hours, typically closing in the evening. However, if a massage parlor remains open late into the night, or even operates 24 hours a day, this is a cause for concern. As Scaramucci noted, “People don’t get massages at 2AM; they get sex.” 


A Maddening Discovery


On my way to the entrance of my beloved restaurant, I noticed the banners of stock photos blanketing the windows of the massage business next door. On my way out, I took a closer look at the suspicious neighbor. A neon sign shined OPEN, but the lobby was darkened. 

The hours of operation listed a closing time as 9:30PM. It was only 8:30, and because the lobby was dark, I suspected the door was locked. I checked, and it opened. 

Having imbibed both whiskey and wine, my inhibitions were lowered, and I considered walking in and asking some questions. My husband, as always, was the voice of reason.


At home, I searched the address of the business and “massage.” The search revealed the name, Time for Me Massage, and the phone number. Then I googled the phone number. Without disabling “safe search,” glaring clues littered my screen.


The first two results were Yelp and MapQuest. Nothing alarming there. The following results, in order, were websites for Rubmaps and Bedpage, Hot.com, and FindtheSeven.com. I clicked on Hot.com, and I wasn’t prepared for what polluted my screen. The very first (and very detailed) review made the nature of this business abundantly clear. The victim was dehumanized, and the menu of sex acts included a price list. As a longtime victim advocate, I’ve seen a lot. My job has been described as “a front row seat to human suffering.”  But after reading one review, I needed a brain cleanse. Furthermore, I cannot enjoy my favorite dishes when I know what’s happening on the other side of the wall. Because I will abandon neither family traditions nor my favorite restaurateur, I’ll take appropriate and legal action to shut the traffickers down.


IMBs are prolific, and ridding communities of them requires community involvement. So abundant are IMBs that law enforcement cannot manage the problem alone. In addition to a watchful community, successfully interdicting IMBs requires specific skills, as does helping the victims within them. The best combo for getting the job done, in my opinion, is collaboration of law enforcement, boosted by intel and advice from the people at Skull Games, and the inclusion of a nonprofit or non-government organization that specializes in helping trafficking victims.


To understand the severity of IMBs, listen to the full episode:



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