Just a point of curiosity. NYC and Manhattan has also seen a resurgence or perhaps it's something new and that is male massage parlors or "spas". These are often peopled mostly by Asian or Russian young men. Why is it that no one writes about that? Are the workers there in the same category as women that are frequently written about as sex slaves, or is this some kind of more voluntary sex work that just goes under the radar? If you are going to cover this kind of story, then it would be interesting to hear about the male side of it too and what if any are the differences.
9
Check out Beatty or Lathrop Wells Nevada, where it's legal and well-regulated. See the pros and cons of what they're doing. Banning prostitution is like Prohibition: It will never work because the demand will always be there. Better to regulate it and make sure it is done safely. Besides, I can't think of better people to teach a young man the mechanics of making love.
4
Here we have the truthful picture of sex trafficking & sex slavery in the USA: women brought into our country to serve the sexual appetites of johns. But Trump has not addressed the other subset of sex slaves: homeless, vulnerable kids/adolescents, residents of this country, who are intercepted off our nation's streets.
The only Mexican or Central/South American sex slave victims identifiable as a group are the children taken from parents & placed in ICE facilities, then sexually abused by facility workers.
Trump wants us to fear Mexicans and Central/South Americans as responsible for sex trafficking. What does he & his minions get out of this myth? Does Trump and/or his lieutenants want to maintain the current flow of Asian women who are invisible in the thriving sex trade? Why would Trump not speak out against buddy Kraft and the network of johns who use the massage parlor criminal fronts to satisfy their appetites while remaining hidden in plain sight/site? Could the criminal business syndicates link to business interests and sexual interests of the wealthy & high profile johns? SEE sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, given a 2008 lenient deal by then U,S. Atty for South FL, Alexander Acosta, now, U.S Sect'y of Labor.
The investigation undertaken in Palm Beach, FL will discover truths about the criminal enterprise structures, players and victims.
4
Glad the men are worried.
7
why was the patriots owner in a human-trafficking parlor - wasnt the low price some kinda giveaway? was he another kind of investor?
3
So how extensive is this, anyway? Are all massage parlors dens of iniquity or are the majority legitimate businesses? If the latter, stories like this do a major disservice to them by failing to include a disclaimer or by offering some sense of the scale of the problem.
2
What really bothers me is reading about these women's arrests. These women have been lied to, coerced, are being sexually, physically, and emotionally abused, in a situation they were conned into "working". Is arrest the only option for these women? Are they receiving help and support in a fundamental way where they will be able to lift themselves out of the horrors of these "employment houses?"
6
These sort of articles are very important for educating Johns about what the misery that lies beyond the sheen of ecstasy. Many men have no idea what drives the accommodating demeanor of these women, and don't understand what evil they are supporting.
5
If these poor women were not able to sneak into the US illegally they would not be turned into sex slaves. With their refusal to control illegal immigration, the Democrats are directly responsible for these horrors.
19
Stop trying to end prostitution and start trying to end human trafficking.
22
One word for you: FLORIDA.
5
Talk about killing the messenger of bad news, Readers of the NY Times respond as if illegitimate massage parlors first popped up during the 3 years of the presidency of Donald Trump. What did Obama do about this situation.? Trump is trying to do something about the situation. Blaming Trump for everything is childish at best or hypercritical at worst.
NY Times readers wake up to reality.
21
The essential solution is to stop Johns from participating. Expose them to Jail, p licity, shame and ethics....
7
How about arresting the “clients”,the managers,the owners of the real estate,and offering the women political asylum .Just disgusting that women are still being enslaved across the world, but in our country?Enough,any man that would visit such a place, is a creep.
10
If a person is going to work in prostitution then one should be resigned to the idea that one is going to be arrested once in a while for it. Is it economically catastrophic? Was she trying to climb to another balcony? There is a saying, "What she did was not a death sentence offence."
2
Prostitution is not sex, it’s exploitation. Manipulating poor people for the physical gratification of others by penetration is disgusting. Why is their not more written about the manipulation?
10
Some people just hate Robert Kraft. It's that simple. The people who hate white male heterosexuals are out in force tonight. It's pretty funny when we have gender neutral bathrooms, anal sex covered in sex ed, doctors castrating men as a 'corrective surgery, and trans children, but meanwhile people on here want to charge a heterosexual man who gets a happy ending with rape. People are confusing justice with their hatred of men. Also, apparently people are OK with the cops spying on Kraft, videotaping him without his knowledge, etc. If they took video of a bunch of women undressed, I doubt people would be so cavalier. Since when did Social Justice Warriors decide they like the police state.
7
"Law enforcement officials said there were an estimated 9,000 illicit massage parlors across the country, from Orlando to Los Angeles. The epicenter of this national underground is the bustling Chinatown in Flushing, in the New York City borough of Queens."
This is "Triad" business, and what do US authorities do? Nothing. Every wonder why? Why we let China take our industry and let the Chinese organized crime run rampant in our country? George Bush Sr ambassador to China, and Bill Clinton facilitating China to the WTO. Yeh, old nasty money from the Bank of England, the City of London and Hong Kong. Cash money, human trafficking, drugs, money laundering, etc. They all know it is happening they all know who is letting it happen, but why ruin a good thing?
4
Why do they get visas? How?
What scheme gets them in? These sad homely victims shouldn’t be victims or be here. I hope they are being deported. Happy ending.
7
I hope every day Kraft sees someone doing the handie gesture while looking at him and laughing.
8
There are as more massage parlors than there are Starbucks and pot stores on California They are not all about sex. Couples go to many for regular massage. I don’t care about tips story.
1
What the FBI should be working in instead of playing king makers.... ugh.
4
Jailing "johns"? Silly hateful #me too invective feigning solidarity for supposedly "coerced" sex workers. Just an excuse to vilify red blooded men blessed with healthy sex drive engaging in intimacy minus controlling, perhaps sexually inadequate girlfriend/wife.
10
@Sean
Wow, can you say "male entitlement"? How about "male egocentricity"?
The entire article was about the coercion a global network of organized criminals exerts over these women, including threats against the women's families in China. But you just dismiss it with a "supposedly."
Then you immediately switch back to the only thing you care about: the johns, and what you assume is their *entitlement* to sex -- not only sex, but sex on their terms and exactly the way they want it.
"Sexually inadequate" girlfriend/wife? That means the woman is either not having sex often enough to suit the man, or she isn't willing to engage in certain sex acts. That doesn't make her "sexually inadequate" -- it means the parties' needs don't match. They're sexually incompatible. You could just as easily insult the man for being "oversexed" or wanting to engage in questionable sex acts. But you're so steeped in male entitlement and male egocentricity that you insult the woman and assume the man is normal.
And "engaging in intimacy"? There's nothing remotely intimate about sex with a prostitute. You're renting a certain set of body parts, usually itemized. The verbal and physical interactions are pure facade.
10
Do people think human trafficking is just sex? Most human trafficking is employment. Sweatshops right here in the good old US of A. As the Dems cry racism and the Rep cry free trade poor people from around the world are trafficked to the USA to be slaves. Pathetic.
7
It'll be interesting to find out who the real, human owners are behind the shell corporations that own these massage parlors. Probably a bunch of "very nice, philanthropical" family men -- maybe the owners of a sporting franchise, a hotel chain, an investment firm... Do they support "building the wall"? Are they anti-choice? Do their children attend Liberty University or Oral Roberts University? Any bets?
5
These women are sex slaves. Please stop calling them therapists. Actual massage therapists are licensed health professionals and constantly have to deal with this stereotyped description. Don’t be lazy in writing and editing. Also, arresting the clients is the best way to stop this trafficking. Shame the Johns, or Krafts or whomevers. And no, I am not a massage therapist. Just a fan of fairness and accuracy.
8
This is a cruel and sad story. What will happen to these women? We’re looking the other way. How Tom Brady is celebrated and standing by his owner is ridiculous. It’s a boys’ club. It’s gross - plain and simple. Sincerely appreciate the NY Times making this a lead story.
4
All the more reasons to legalize this profession, and bring everything into the light to be properly regulated, inspected, etc. Prohibition brings nothing but crime, and prohibition of sex is stupid - like trying to prohibit eating or sleeping.
7
@Spook
Legalizing prostitution will only put these women in the position of other illegal immigrants.
Just as factory farms and corporate employers (starting with Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort) turn illegal immigrants into indentured servants, if not out-and-out slaves, if we legalize prostitution johns, unlicensed massage parlors and organized crime will still continue turning these women into indentured servants, if not sex slaves.
1
Prostitution is illegal in Thailand. It's also openly practiced. IMHO both the article and the comments are naive and one dimensional. Since the nightclubs, music bars, restaurants, massage parlors, "adult bars" et alia are co-located (see Bangla Road) once one becomes recognized as a resident (v tourist) it is inevitable that one gets known and greeted by the residents of the "street." What one finds is the human condition: at one extreme women and men clearly unhappy plying their trade, some resigned (a bored pole dancer is a sorry sight), and some for whom this is their chosen form of economic success. (Ultimate success is a K-1 visa) The "Johns" include viagra fueled grampers but a large percentage are young men and women. Sellers always outnumber buyers across the spectrum of activity. What drives the "road?" The need to eat. Any "solution" that does not solve the immediate need for a (truly) "living" wage is doomed. Are some, many, most captured by circumstance? Certainly. But aren't we all? The "game" is 50,000 years old. A few arrests in Jupiter and outrage in the media will change nothing. The Thai solution is far from perfect. But like all "immoral" activities criminalization makes matters worse.
6
Expose, arrest and jail those who exploit these young women.
They should not be able to wield power or influence over our immigration system.
3
Heres an idea - perhaps now with the invention of sexbots who look, feel and act as if they are enjoying sex the sex industry could change from using human beings to using the sexbots. Men would get to have their creepy sex and the pimps would make their money and real human beings would no longer be exploited.
The people who use and exploit women sexually have no feelings or empathy and do not really deserve the type of human contact inherent in sex with trafficked individuals. Sex with a robot would be more fitting
for all concerned.
6
The international sex trade is a multi billion dollar industry. Just like the international arms and drug trade there is not a corner of the earth that is untouched by it. Because it is an enormously lucrative business, and because the victims are poor women, children ( some as young as three) , and to a lesser extent boys, there is not much incentive to stop it. Often times governments and law enforcement are complicit of course. It’s about money, BIG money, and lots of it. The big behinds the scenes players know every trick in the book re keeping their reputations clean and their money in off shore accounts. So they rarely get caught.
Trafficking in human flesh is generally considered immoral and reprehensible in the rich world. Although this is where many of the ‘customers ‘, almost exclusively men, come from. For those in this comment section that think prostitution is voluntary - or worse - that it “ brings immense pleasure to both men and women” and is not abusive, I hope that never in this life or the next will you, your daughters, your mother, or your wife ever be caught up in the net of this soulless, hideous, black hole of human depravity. And for you men who take the sex tours in Asia, and rationalize that the kids and women enjoy it and that you are providing them with an income, you are the soul of depravity yourself.
The 2005 award winning film, ‘Human Trafficking ‘ with Donald Sutherland, Miro Sorvina, and Robert Carlyle, is eye opening re this subject.
6
One of the richest men in the world molests one of the poorest women in the world. That about sums up everything that is wrong with our country.
14
I can not deny the horrors described in these parlors but it has not been my experience. The women I have met are as free as they want to be, to come and go, quit when they want. These women work and send money home and do make lots of money if they wish. The job openings are post in Chinese and Korean with prospective earnings.
I don't know how Kraft got caught up in it. Was he stupid as some men are and tell the police what happened inside when asked. Do they have video of him inside? Whatever he did or asked the provider to do was between him and her not the shop.
4
@Satyaban
These women have been forced to hone their acts well enough to pass border security. You don't think they can fool you? First rule of trafficked club is don't talk about trafficked club.
The coming and going gives the illusion that they are not locked up, but as the article explains, it's all tightly controlled by runner/drivers who keep a watch. Unless you have interacted with them outside of their parlors, you may very well be confusing lies and shackles for freedom.
2
criminalize sex and allow for porous borders and guess what you get? This is so easy to fix...
4
Talking about culture change... I used to think illicit massage parlors and sexual workers were a feature of South East and East Asia. Now they are in the US introducing an insidious vice into our culture.
In China, many (most?) hotels house independently-owned massage centers where innocent treatments are offered - even in hotels owned by US chains. Customers may opt to receive service in the massage center or their hotel rooms. After the masseuse arrives in customer's room he may negotiate sexual services.
Even though "massage plus" may ostensibly be a taboo in most places, in Asia it has been happening in plain sight. Typically affluent men visit massage parlors where they may choose to receive sexual services. In China one can be arrested for the slightest criticism of government yet active prostitution goes on unscathed in public. The massage parlors are vehicles for the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
On one of my early business trips to China I first saw a manage center while walking to my room, accompanied by my host. Naively, I asked him what the room we had just walked by was about, where fully made-up young women were standing and sitting inside the room behind the glass front. I still see his facial expression change from disbelief into a smirk. He replied, if you like, you can choose one of these ladies and invite her to your room for massage and party! I was embarrassed and told him I was only in China for work.
4
These women were not “expected to sexually service” men, they were forced to. They were raped repeatedly. Similarly, the author said that “some clients were violent.” By definition, all of these “clients” that paid for a sex act from an unconsenting and enslaved woman were in fact violent— they raped someone(s). Please consider using the language that best reflects the violence they underwent.
5
So the business model is these women are paying upwards of $40,000 to go “work in the US” and they really think that debt will be paid off by working in a restaurant? If this is the model there is no way it will ever go away because the desire to come to the United States will never go away. And Asians, unlike Latinos can’t just walk across the boarder. So make it legal, or deeply criminalize it, nothing will end this type of human trafficking because the cause is rooted in the deep poverty of the countries where these women come from.
4
Why present human slavery as an affiliation restricted to massage business store- fronts? Massage is as distinct from prostitution as pedophilia is from Catholicism. But presenting both together tars the legitimate practitioner with the perverse criminal.
Let's deal with actual criminals aggressively without implicating any citizen groups whose professions (or religions) have nothing in common with the criminals.
In Sweden prostitution is illegal, because they think that it is a form of violence from men against women. Always. In case of paid sexual intercourse, it is the man who gets arrested and sentenced. Never the woman. I like that.
10
If you're a well-to-do First World woman, it's easy to be against legalization. You know what's best for the poor Third World and Second World women, right?
And you don't want the competition, right?
Here's a novel idea: Why don't we instead ask these sex workers what they think?
3
If the women in the Florida case are victims why were they arrested and still sitting in jail? The sheriff weeps about how horribly they were treated but he's locked them up!
5
Why does the headline refer tepidly to "indentured servitude" when the story is clearly about sexual slavery, with slave drivers conducting round-ups and using physical intimidation and financial extortion to keep the victims under control? Why is one victim's experience referred to as her "former profession" as if she had chosen sexual slavery as a "profession"?
In about 1980, Kathleen Barry exposed the pervasiveness of the sex trade in her book "Female Sexual Slavery." Like most feminists at the time, her work was met with skepticism and the accusation that she was too obsessed with women as victims. Yet here we are, 40 years later, shocked, shocked to find sexual slavery thriving in the obsequious little strip malls that line our cities and towns.
5
Illegal aliens shouldn’t be here much less getting victimized. That’s based upon the statement within that they are promised things to come. Illegal immigration is the issue. How did they get a visa to come work at a massage parlor? There had to be misrepresentation of information to the United States. They aren’t students, fabulous unique talent so how’d they get in?
5
Modern Americans find it easy to ignore what is right in front of them. So many of us now regularly go to nail salons to have women hunched over our feet, cleaning crud out from under our toenails, scraping off our dead skin, smelling toxic fumes day in and day out. They look miserable. It's a disgusting job. And we all love it, it's cheap, we feel pretty and pampered. But what about the poor souls doing the work. Many clients don't even acknowledge there is another person there. Most of the workers appear to be living at the edges of society and treated like sub humans. I can't imagine its any better for the sex workers. It truly disgusts me.
8
The exploitation of foreign workers is neither limited to the US nor the sex trade. I engaged Indian programmers for the year 2000 project in the US. They were exploited by their agents. So are foreign fisherman, musicians, resort and restaurant workers. The common thread. Needing to eat.
5
When crime networks of this magnitude are allowed to thrive one must wonder which so-called law enforcement people (federal, state and local) are turning a blind eye - and why? Follow the money. When immigrant children are permanently ripped from their parents' hands at the border, but future (albeit unwitting? [maybe]) sex workers are allowed in, some investigation is needed. The House should investigate, and Kraft - one of DJT's good friends - has some idea where the money goes and can be made to testify.
2
A web of outdated laws creates a business opportunity for criminals. The black market exists because "righteous" thinking people push through laws of "prohibition".
It didn't work with alcohol - but it gave the mob riches. Did we stop drinking?
It didn't work with drugs - but it provided massive weath for all manner of cartels. Did addiction decline?
It doesn't work with prostitution - it just put the trade under ground where the workers are abused. It is disgustingly brutal.
Women would not need to be victimized by these monsters if they could be welcomed to the country and obtain normal jobs legally. We know we need the workers.
Bob Kraft should not be able to buy sex for that kind of small change. But he should be able to spend many multiples of that to have an experience with a woman or man who practices safe sex and is regularly examined medically - certified, so to speak. There are plenty of folks who would be happy to make a significant income in that manner. If there is a shortage of these workers, the price would go up. Capitalism.
What is happening in these "parlors" is just an uglier version of what is happening in restaurants and other businesses across the country. Given the opportunity for profit, evil greedy and clever people will abuse.
Change the laws. Welcome immigrants. We have the land. We have the jobs. An America without immigration will lose population. We are not replacing ourselves. Someone needs to work, pay taxes and pay that Federal Debt!
2
The men are not monsters, the sheriff is a monster. The men were simply trying to fulfill one of Maslow's basic needs. None of them knew that these women were trafficked. How could they? There is a simple solution that other more civilized countries have done about prostitution: legalize, regulate and tax. It's not hard. Look at Singapore for a good model, or even Australia or New Zealand. Two adults exchanging money for a service is nobody's business except those two adults. The government and all the rest of you moralistic busybodies should mind your own business.
5
Doesn’t happen where prostitution is legal . The crime here is the lack of enforcement by ice
2
Indentured Servitude? Women held against their will? Modern day slavery?
Please, spare me the finger wagging. These women come from rural China, from villages without electricity and running water. Where they are abused without recourse.
When they start work in the USA, they are told they can go find and rent an apartment or they can choose to room at their place of business for free. They know what they are doing. They decide what is best for them. Freedom of choice....remember that?
3
I’m frustrated my old comment wasn’t posted, but my point was that massages are legal until you go just a little to far up the thigh. People need to stop being such puritans and recognize that there’s a market for these services and you don’t have to take part if you don’t want, but putting people in cages for offering and using services that they want is as effective as the drug war.
4
Where is the FBI? What about Prosecutors? And finally the police...How long has this gone on? They even know who is running this corrupt and terrible, human trafficking operation. Why hasn't this man (possibly an illegal himself) been allowed to get so powerful?
2
Please tell me again, Why do we waste tax payers money on trying to stop the migrants from coming to America when the police, lawyers, FBI and law enforcement officers KNOW this is happening in almost 9,000 location from the east coast to the west coast.?
This is where the criminals are and we KNOW it. let's call out the police and the national guard to SHUT THIS DOWN, NOW. IF OWNERS CAN NOT MAKE MONEY, THEY WILL NOT DO IT!
America is better than this, this article makes me so ashamed. Let's get past, it you can make money, do it until you get caught in America and then use your money to get off. Increase the punishment for hiring and using slaves in America for profit, no matter Who you are or Who your father was.
1
Years ago I was in a performance art/alternative band in a large Northeastern city. In that world it was cool, acceptable—for some even de rigeur—to be somewhat involved in the sex industry, either as a stripper (graduate student looking to be transgressive) or to support a drug habit, or because life had led the person in that direction. I was way, way too finicky to even consider that option, plus that life seemed massively unappealing, but I also didn’t discriminate or (at the time) make judgments. That would have branded me as deeply uncool. Puritanical, as some (mostly men) say in other comments. Goddess forbid!
Fast forward two decades, and unfortunately not one of those friends (mostly women, some men) ended up well. There’s depression, serious drug abuse and dependence, deeply erratic behavior, anger, and in two cases, suicide.
It’s easy to theorize about “sex work,” but ask yourselves if you’d like your sons and daughters to do it.
Didn’t think so.
5
Prostitution is a very old profession. Admit it. It is delusional to think otherwise. Make it legal. Where I lived in Europe for many years prostitution was legal. The prostitutes were registered with the police and registered with the health department. The “workers” carried official papers and were required to check-in on a periodic basis. The areas of the city where they worked were clearly identified, designated and monitored. This approach did not make prostitution more wide spread nor it did make prostitution spill over into the main stream. It was well contained. So what’s the big deal with making prostitution legal? The US needs to get over its Puritanical self.
6
Life can be full of rich ironies. According to this article most of these massage sex workers come here on visas. They arrived through airports. They either came in with help on tourist visas, student visas, etc. According to President Trump they come in with duct tape over their mouths hidden in vehicles.
The most obvious irony is that Mr. Kraft is not only a friend but a multi-billionaire friend of Mr. Trump. I don't see him on Twitter denouncing Mr. Kraft as part of the problem of sex trafficking. He usually backs the police. The police claim to have Mr. Kraft on video engaging in illicit acts. One would think Trump would be blasting Mr. Kraft regardless of "due process and the assumption of due process" which he violates for his critics.
2
Human and drug trafficking have a lot in common, except that drug kingpins are extradited while human traffickers are not. There's not much in the way of opportunity in the source countries, except the drug and sex trades.
What good can it do for trafficked women to cooperate with US authorities? The best she can hope for is being sent back to her impoverished existence with a minimum of jail time. At worst her family will be in danger with fresh demands to pay off an inflated debt.
Until the women and their families can gain permanent US residence in a witness protection program, the only beneficiaries are the political careers of certain prosecutors.
1
When I read these articles, it breaks my heart, and I keep wondering
What can we do to help these women?
Articles like this should integrate on how to help women in despair.
It seems to me that this is another corrupt system.
1
The correct term for the establishments described is "brothel", not "massage parlor". Prostitution hides behind storefront signs that say "massage", which is offensive to those of us who actually work as allied health professionals doing manual manipulation of soft tissue.
4
Criminals have organized to take advantage of immigrants since forever. When more men than women come intio a country (I'm thinking of Haitian "boat people" in the early 1980s, especially in the Houston, Tx. area), the scammers put them to work as day laborers, left them a smidgeon of their wages, and arranged with crooked lawyers to keep them on the hook for green cards that never appeared. Like the women in this article, the men were told to stay in a certain house (conveniently owned by the grifters who were scamming them out of paychecks), and so they didn't see any money. Rotten attorneys held deportation over them, while collecting their wages and "fees" until the guys ran off or gave up. This is the wretched price paid by people when there's no legal way for immigrants to live and work. The darkest problem is that the situation usually isn't much better where they came from. Yes, it's about desperate poverty and crime.
2
And thousands of these women are allowed to work visa scams to get into the country? Is this the "open borders" that democrats want. This trafficking is no doubt seen as a good thing by "nation of immigrants" like Cortez and democrats desperate for voters. A top-to-bottom review and rework of the US immigration policy is desperately needed...tell that to craven politicos like Schumer and Pelosi.
1
For those seeking a legit massage: Google "licensed massage therapist" or "LMT" in your area. On their website (not Yelp) they should have their credentials front and center. Upon arrival, they should provide you with forms about your medical history, etc. There are several, common sense cues that should indicate if you are at a place of business that provides THERAPEUTIC massage by LICENSED therapists.
2
Gemme a break. These places would disappear if there were publicly supported schools to teach women how to give hand jobs & a minimum price required to pay for the service whether provided by spouse or non-spouse. Why not? If cities can regulate sugar in soda, why not sex acts? We are still Puritans.
The accounts those women share are so striking. I was sexually harassed in my first job as an engineer coming from an excellent education. It revealed an enormous strength in me I never had. I reported it. It took me time to recover just from that. I cant imagine how these women must feel. Its very unfortunate. Im glad that it is now revealed and we can come one step closer to building safer communities for women. I will be part of the movement.
3
Why is ICE not involved? Surely, most of the trafficked women are in the country illegally, on over extended visas or improper visas. Why does ICE seem only concerned with brown people from south of the border who speak Spanish?
If certain politicians are so concerned with those who enter our country illegally, they need to apply pressure across the board, including in our agencies abroad that are charged with processing visa applications, with border guards at airports and other crossing areas. If they had the motivation and tools, think of how many improper entries might be prevented. But no, certain politicians look at a wall as the answer. It is not.
You mention "lawyers who help them file phony asylum claims." Your readers may think, Oh, sure, a few sleezebag ink-stained wretches do this. But not just them! Regular lawyers, usually young associates starting out at big reputable firms, are required to put in hours of pro bono time, and often it involves asylum claims.
I worked in several such firms in NYC as a paralegal, and got to see these claims up close. They are all very similar. The associates get to know the asylum seeker and become sympathetic, of course. They don't feel like they're doing anything wrong, but they burnish and embellish the claim until they have a winner. Lawyers love to win. And nobody gets hurt, right?
Legalize it—tax and regulate. Not perfect but better than what we do now.
1
"The decision by law enforcement in Florida to focus on patrons of the establishments in such a public way rather than the women working there has generated a lot of fear among clients... (a defense lawyer) has received panicked phone calls from many men who frequented the establishments and are worried that the police are about to come knocking."
As they should be worried! Florida's policy sounds sensible.
1
We need to stop focusing on the supply chain of this issue and focus on demand instead. There should be a lot of men on pins and needles for soliciting prostitutes here and we should have a national database where if you're charged and convicted of this crime, your name is listed down and anyone can find you. Add further penalties that increase the risk for the Johns to abuse these women. If we drain the money from the operation, there would be less incentive to do it.
2
Running a shady, evil "trafficking" network such as the article claims exists would be a bad business decision, and just doesn't make sense. Why would the criminals go through all the effort of "trafficking", deceiving people, stealing passports, when so many women are available to just sign up for the job based on the salary? "Trafficking" networks would be a quite bad business decision for the people involved, anyone employing such methodologies would lose out in the market to the more efficient business model of just attracting workers with a salary.
The title of the article makes a very bold and wide-reaching claim. The content of the article should support that claim with similarly rigorous investigative methods, statistical analysis, and data gathering. Instead I see just some anecdotes. What evidence does the reader have that these anecdotes reflect a general truth, and not just, for example, a way of framing the issue that reflects current trends in political correctness and media attitudes towards men and women?
The overwhelming majority of women who do sex work do it as a voluntary job choice. Perhaps the women involved in these networks are reluctant to talk to police because they know they made a voluntary choice to earn money in a certain manner, and they know they are not victims?
2
Much is being made of Robert Kraft who may or may not have received erotic services in an illicit massage parlor. People believe that Robert Kraft should not enjoy special treatment because of his wealth. But there is a problem. The article states that there is ''an estimated 9000 illicit massage parlors across the country." If this estimate is correct, millions of men have received erotic services. If he is found guilty, Robert Kraft should be treated no worse than his fellow patrons. This could make for some crowded court dockets.
2
This article cites some anecdotes and asks us to believe that these reflect the general truth, without rigorous statistics or evidence.
The overwhelming majority of women who do sex work do it as a voluntary job choice. The article claims that the women receive very little of the money paid. Where are the rigorous methodologies and resulting statistics to prove this? That just does not match up with the reality.
Some may hypothesize that no woman would do such work unless they were "forced", but the world is a diverse place and many women do not think of sex that way. Similar arguments could be made about all sorts of jobs that men do, like mining or working in sewers, but this is considered normal since men are expendable worker bees.
The old way of suppressing sex work was saying women were bad to do it. The new way is to say men are bad to buy it, in order to make this argument we need to pretend that the women are not making a voluntary choice.
As far as enforcement is concerned, generally speaking the person who chooses to sell something illegal in high volumes to make money should be the focus of enforcement, rather than persons who occasionally make the purchase. This is true of selling drugs, counterfeit items, etc. Sex work should be legal, but if it is not there is no reason to coddle the women and pursue the men instead, except the general principle of men are bad and women are always innocent victims.
2
I appreciate the NYT shedding light on a major problem that has been going on for decades. It's too bad that a man like Kraft was caught in a massage parlor and that's the reason we're suddenly talking about it. It's rampant on the west coast. So I ask myself, what now? What can I do to help? I'm a woman so I can't go in and uncover the conditions for myself and then report them. I see these places everywhere in Northern California, so what can I do to help these women? Feeling so helpless....
1
The real problem here seems to be how the organizers use so called " shell companies" to hide their identities.
Surely law enforcement agencies have some forensic accountants who can follow the money trail and pursue convictions for money laundering and I would guess Tax Fraud.
And let's not beat around the bush this is SLAVERY pure and simply no other word for it. About time law enforcement prosecuted it as such.
The case of Bob Kraft is interesting because he chose a blatant commercial outlet for his sexual needs when he clearly has enough money to secure a girlfriend of any age he wants (as does any widower). It is possible that he simply did not want to deal with the "entanglements" a young girlfriend might involve. The other option (let's call it the Elliot Spitzer option) is to rent a very high-priced "companion" on occasion (and for a 77 year old man, it would definitely be occasional). Why he chose a somewhat tawdry option is beyond me since he is obviously a very smart person.
There should be 2 parts to the appropriate analysis of this problem. First, the demand side of the curve can be properly dealt with when this profession is legalized. When legalized the men, primarily, who want this service will pay for it, the sellers will become legal taxpayers, a minimum medical service will be developed for the profession and being legit these service providers can use the current technologies to make certain that they are not physically abused while at the same time are independent professionals who would not be under the control of those mobsters. Our police would protect them and with this approach the demand side would be better off as well. Now, the second part of this problem relates to those women who cannot be helped in any other way. Where are all of those anti-prostitution people who have money and are not willing to personally commit to taking these poor women off the streets, streets that they would like to avoid? Hypocrisy and ignorance control too much of our society and the time is now to begin to fix at least this small part of the human animal demand curve.
1
A great deal of people are on pins and needles? Please. These places are all over Florida and, other than this prosecution, there has been very little effort to stop what goes on inside them. Now that a rich and powerful man has been ensnared in this investigation, you can be sure it will be the last of its kind. I cannot count the number of men who have told me how "bad" the feel for Kraft, and not a word of sympathy for the women enslaved in this criminal enterprise.
1
Human trafficking, including sexual trafficking is reprehensible and should be aggressively investigated and the kingpins and 'middle management' prosecuted to the fullest extent possible. Ensnaring women (girls) with drugs to keep them working as prostitutes also needs to be stopped, even if they are technically 'free to go.' Child prostitution is horrifically wrong.
However.....there are women, men and transexuals, who are quite willing to work as prostitutes. In conversations I've had with numerous Thai and Burmese prostitutes, I have heard over and over that these ladies, gents, etc. are able to separate their 'professional' work from their self esteem, do not mind their jobs, and do not find problems obtaining decent husbands afterwards because of their work in this field when young and nubile. Presumably those who do mind it do not engage in this profession.
Similarly, in the United States and Canada, I have met a handful of nice looking college-aged students happy to work for a high end escort service to pay for his/her education. And, my understanding is that there are Eastern European women who feel the same.
Legalization may substantially improve the situation. Ban any sort of coercion, addictive drugs, underage individuals, and require mandatory health care (as there is in parts of Bangkok), registration and inspection. I'm pretty unconcerned about what happens between consenting adults, including those with financial interests.
1
The arrest of those "johns" who patronize such places should and must continue. When the sources of income disappear, the illegal trafficking in personnel disappears as well.
A corporation is a legally created devise which shields owners from personal liability. How is it that we cannot deal with shell corporations and corporations used to hide ownership and control. In short, why can’t the legal system require corporate ownership to be transparent. Transparency should be the price of forming and maintaining corporate status and the advantages that go with such status.
17
Did you read the piece? The real question is how’d they get here. It would be lies to get a visa it seems.
It's about time these crime syndicates were taken down in OUR United States of America. It's not surprising many are based in Florida, among The Con Don's golf courses and the rest of the corrupt tax evaders.
Thanks to the law enforcement agencies who have started to find and destroy these inhuman organizations.
Wonder if that is why the children were separated from their parents at OUR southern border - to put them into the slave/pornography trade. Many are being molested daily by "border patrol" agents and other workers.
It enrages me that the man lurking around OUR white house is probably involved.
16
One thing not mentioned in the article is the risk to the women’s health.
When women are held as virtual prisoners, that makes it very hard for them to get medical attention, whether it’s for common conditions or for a blood test for Hepatitis or AIDS.
One study done in 2003 indicated that the women were at risk for HIV because of the number of clients who insisted on not using condoms.
“HIV Risk Among Asian Women Working At Massage Parlors In San Francisco” AIDS Education and Prevention, 15(3), 245–256, 2003 © 2003 The Guilford Press
http://s116768.gridserver.com/sites/default/files/content/pphg/surveillance/CDC-MARPs/resources/targeted-snowball-venue/3.pdf
14
How can they even be in the United States?
1
as always in the world of prostitution the customers are almost all men and the prostitutes almost all women. if being a customer of an illegal prostitution ring is to be considered a crime then the age old punishment of castration should be meted out. if it is preferred that the sentence not be permanent a chemical form of castration can be employed.
it appears that the wide spread availability of vivid pornography has not diminished men's' appetite for the real thing.
9
The majority of men who pay for sex are not deviants. They are just normal people with sexual needs that are not being met anywhere else. It is legal to buy murder weapons to kill your fellow citizens but illegal to pay for sex.
33
Is the “worker” willing or coerced? Does it matter to you?
1
@todd
Americans are woefully primitive, restrictive, and moralistic when it comes to sex. Just look at the depressing number of commenters here that want to take away a basic human freedom: for two consenting adults to exchange money for a service. The only solution is to leave the US for countries that actually believe in human freedom.
Indeed you are right that it should not be normal to buy weapons to kill your fellow citizens. This is an aberration typical of the USA that no one anywhere else in the world can understand. But two wrongs never make one right. It is wrong to exploit a woman to satisfy your "needs".
"A lot of the businesses that look like either nail salons or massage places, especially the places that offer massage, there are bad things happening there,” she said. “It’s 100 percent organized crime.” -- so this is what I've been thinking for years as more and more of these phony spas opened up across Brooklyn. If I can figure out quickly what is going on, where is the NYPD to shut them down and help these women get out of sexual slavery? It's not a mystery what goes on behind the dirty windows with ragged curtains and cheap posters offering foot massages. While the current administration worries about "caravans" of Central Americans heading towards Texas and goes to great lengths to break up families on the border, they turn a blind eye to women walking off airplanes at JFK right into the hands of sex traffickers.
55
Always wondered why the all Asian female staff at these nail and massage salons would appear at early hours in the parking lots of shops in Northern CT and hop out of black 15-passenger vans with NY plates and blacked out windows. Always thought they were just long distance commuters saving money.
15
@Jon
But that's not what is happening.
Come on!
Poverty and hopelessness will always fuel this type of enslavement and opportunistic crime. Arresting a few high profile customers can not begin to address the problem. What is being done in the countries of origin to inform desperate women that being smuggled to the US will ruin their lives in ways they never imagined? It would seem to be so easy to let these horror stories go viral in Asia and allow women and their families to make an informed choice. Is anyone using the tools of social media to do this and perhaps reduce the need for rescue?
15
The anti-prostitution commentators seem to be advocating that the government tell women what they can do with their bodies. This is the antithesis of the progressive ideology. Women above the age of consent should not be told by anyone what they do with their bodies. Sex between consenting ADULTS is neither immoral nor unsavory.
Those who advocate the suppression of this fundamental human activity have more in common with the religious right than with any part of the progressive movement.
17
@John Palmieri. What’s your definition of consent in this context? Assault is involved. Restricted freedom is involved, with a loss of passports. Forced indentured servitude based on fear, threats, theft and violence do NOT involve consent.
Forced consent is not consent.
“Consenting adults” are the two operative words, John.
It gets worse.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/02/children-sex-tourists-leave-behind-fathers-visited-philippines
7
No sympathy from me for the Johns, especially if they have wives/gf’s or committed partners to whom they can carry back disease. They constitute half of the equation—the demand portion of supply. They need to start facing consequences for their decisions, good, bad, and inbetween & the thickness of their wallets should not determine if they get off or not. There is nothing consensual about these transactions, and the power differential is even greater if the person they are “buying” is underage.
28
It's very difficult to protect people from themselves. I went on a cruise and found out that the housekeepers pay exorbitant fees to get the jobs. I paid a mandatory tip but the housekeeper needs more to make up for the disadvantageous deal she made (and the cruise line let her make). Here is the same kind of thing. The business deal is bad from the start.
6
It should be easy to understand that in those places where prostitution is legal and criminal enterprise flourishes the fault lies at the feet of law enforcement.
3
There is a reason this is the world's oldest profession. It is an easy way to make money and the demand will ALWAYS exist. Like drugs, and alcohol during prohibition, the way to stop the criminal element, that in this case is doing the trafficking and abuse, is to legalize and regulate it.
11
The purpose of legalizing prostitution is not to enable it. Though it may seem counter-intuitive, legalizing something also brings it under the power and scrutiny of the courts. It would be much more difficult to abuse women if their employers were forced to submit for licenses and undergo inspection, and when women could come to the police without fear of arrest. It won't stop abuse, but it will help. And any amount of help for these women is a good thing.
17
Tell the wealthy escorts on escort sites making $300 to $1000 per hour. No boss, no tax just wealth.
While searching for my previous entry I passed a number of comments recommending legalizing all forms of prostitution because it could be regulated more easily. Why stop there? Why not legalize first degree murder? I think the answer is self evident.
Since 1863 it is not legal to buy and sell other people. The crime being committed here is not so much the prostitution, it's the indentured servitude, a fancy word for slavery.
26
@Joan In California
Why is a woman freely choosing to sell a sexual service involving her body slavery, and other forms of labor in which people offer services with their bodies not slavery? If a particular individual does not like the idea of having sex for money, that individual can elect not to do it. How about men who work in mines or in the sewers, keeping your toilet from getting backed up? Are they slaves? Or are types of work that many people would consider to not be desirable only "Slavery" when women primarily do it, rather than men? Men are the disposable worker bee class. If there is a form of work that middle class comfortable people think about and decide they would not wish to do, it's just work if men do it, and it's slavery if women do it?
@Joan In California
How is this indentured servitude? The Johns only pay for a few hours at most of the woman's time. Do you have a job? Then you also get paid for your time. Actually you get paid for hours, days, weeks, months, years, etc. You are also selling your labor. Prostitution is no different when two consenting adults exchange money for labor. The problem is your moralizing authoritarianism wants to strip freedom away from adults to make choices. Shame on you.
This is not limited to massage parlors. What do you think is going on in NAIL SALONS? Your cheap mani/pedi is cheap for the same reason. Reread the Times expo on that issue. What about restaurants? Same issue there. This is not purely a sex thing. It is an across the board issue that effects even the crops that are picked in this country. By all means prosecute the johns, they know better. To make prostitution legal would just legitimize the PIMPS actions. Very few women & men choose this as career. The NYT has repeatedly to written about this over the past years. Why does it take one rich old man being arrested to make you ponder it now?
22
@melnoe
Most women choose prostitution because it pays a lot more money than almost any other type of labor. Also some women enjoy having sex all day and getting paid for it. Your restrictive moralizing is clouding your judgment to see facts.
The people who visit these establishments are pure garbage. We really need to start publishing their pictures online, so we know who they are. I'm sure a lot of these guys are married or in relationships and they're passing diseases on to their wives and/or girlfriends. This is a public health crisis.
21
@Karen
Well it should be legalized first and foremost. But failing that enforcement efforts such as shaming, should focus on sellers rather than buyers. This is true of any illegal industry and prohibited trade. The anecdotes put forward in the article are not generally true of the overwhelming majority of women who choose to work in this industry. It's just not the case that women who do sex work are generally forced to do so, that is just an anti-male narrative of our current political climate. Society seeks to suppress sex work now by saying "men bad" when men buy it. It used to be by saying "women bad" when they sell it. But the reality is that the overwhelming majority of people who buy and sell sex, do so freely and voluntarily. Any arguments about what constitutes "voluntary" are equally applicable to any other job that men or women do. In capitalist societies, you earn money or you do not eat. People who sell drugs or commit murder for money, can offer the justification that they needed money. Everyone who slaves away at 2-3 jobs to make ends meet are doing it for money. The reality is the vast majority of women who do sex work are quite accustomed to it and dont find it to be anywhere near as big a deal as the anti-male saviors who lament their situation.
Sex work should be legal, but should society decide that these types of transactions should be prohibited, for whatever reason, naming and shaming the sellers would be a more appropriate focus.
1
@Karen
Maybe "johns" should be more discriminating regarding mutual sexual compatibility when choosing girlfriend/wife.
1
@Karen
I then suggest we also criminalize cheating on one's partner and adultery. Women who cheat could also be bringing back diseases to their husbands and boyfriends. Publish their photos online and lock them up! It's a public health crisis too.
I have to wonder when American self righteous prigs admit to themselves that their misguided efforts to control social behavior do not work and can never work. how much public money does society spend on vice policing? And who is ultimately hurt by it? Certainly not the people taking in the cash. Prostitution should be legalized. This would decrease policing costs, free up court time, legitimize something that never should have been stigmatized, and end lucrative criminal enterprises that effectively destroy the lives of otherwise innocent women. Enough already!
7
Where are the cops? Busting loose cigarette peddlers i bet. Give them a real assignment , they'll ignore it or sleep on the job.
4
How is it that NYC hasn't shut this down? who's getting paid off?
8
I think sex work should be viewed just like other professions. They bring immense pleasure to both men and women. To those saying prostitution is abusive, etc., there are many products we use- the iPhone for example that is produced by essentially slave labor. You justice warriors should take a look at the labels on your clothes and in the mirror before lecturing people
9
Kay, Does it really sound like these slaves are receiving any pleasure or money for doing this? What if it was Your son or daughter?
19
@melnoe of course it may not bring pleasure to these "slaves" and wouldn't want this for my son or daughter. However, I work in a job currently helping disabled individuals. Its very tough, I'm not paid enough and I sometimes get hurt. I love my job, but it's a job and I try to make my individuals happy. Most people who have jobs sacrifice things to make the public happy. Sex work can be a job.
I wonder if we read the same article.
1
There are soooo many 24 hour foot spa and massage places that have popped up in the last 5 years. I have known people who were propositioned in these so called spas. Something has to be done....
6
Prostitution should never be legalized. We can look to Japan where, until the mid 1950's it was legal. Legal for almost 1,000 years. It's been well documented by Japanese and foreign historians the abuse women suffered through under legalized prositution. Young girls being sold off by their parents to either pay off debts or to have money for the family just to survive, just as examples. Just to be clear: prositution is slavery.
25
The problem is more than massage parlors. Boston is full of Nail Salons staffed by Cambodian and Vietnamese women usually with a male Concierg who watches everything they do. The women look miserable and one just knows they are suffering. The City dies nothing.
21
1. The American "freedom" delusion wreaks havoc. ""Leader of the free world" etc. Who's free? From what? To do what? As though freedom were an elixir and Americans drunk on it.
Besides--
2. One man's freedom to do X (buy a gu or whatever) means EVERYONE else is unfree to interfere.
3. You treat women as government owned incubators--unfree to control their own bodies for sexual reproduction.
4. You treat women as government owned sex players--unfree to control their own bodies for sex play.
5. You pretend to be champions of free [from law and logic] markets--yet women are not free to engage in sex trade.
6. This sex trade restriction applies only to low class sex trade--pay per trick. Sex trade includes barter for all sorts of things--from promotions to jobs to social status--for weeks, months--or an entire sex life.
Jane Austin's "romances" were about sex trade--her heroines traded for the guy inheriting the manor. Friends and cousins settled for less.
"Maria Ward...with only seven thousand pounds had the good luck to captivate...Bertram...and...raised to the rank of baronet's lady with...handsome house and large income....But there certainly are not so many men of large fortune in the world, as there are pretty women to deserve them" (Mansfield Park).
"Negotiations and love songs are one and the same" (Paul Simon).
'Prostitute'/'porne' (Latin/Greek) prove sex trade an old profession. Call girls postdate telephones. Escorts the internet--not all are victims.
3
Male and female prostitution must be legalized. The real answer lies directly in legalization and regulation. Further more, anonymity of the customers is a right any customer, male or female, should be fully entitled to.
And why can't these legal massage parlors offer superb massages by trained massage professional. This country is such a twisted mess of puritanical facades underneath very human desires and compulsions. Do you know, dear reader, who watches the most porn? Evangelicals. https://www.maxim.com/maxim-man/religious-people-watch-the-most-porn-2017-3
And, yes, they also are the most likely to visit massage parlors.
We need legalization. Period.
10
It’s amazing that most comments that advocate legalizing prostitution are unwilling to acknowledge that these women are being forced into prostitution. And mod of these comments are from men who dismiss the impact this has happened on girls and women. This is is happening IRL, this is not a fantasy.
1
In Los Angeles there is an abundance of massage parlors that use women from the Orient to provide non-erotic massages to both men AND women. These providers frequently come from the same background as those who work in the erotic establishments and probably enter and remain the U.S., also, by overstaying their visas.
These women work long hours, seven days a week, to pay off their debts to the racketeers who brought them to this country, relying mostly on tips from men and women customers. In a sense, these providers in the so-called “legitimate” massage parlors are in bondage as wage slaves whose conditions of life are similar to the providers in the erotic massage parlors, except for the fact that their misery is not compounded by the giving of sexual services.
Both men and women in this country are complicit in the exploitation of non-erotic providers every time they receive massage services, and their complicity enriches the racketeers and raises the incentive for impoverished women to knowingly or unwittingly to become wage slaves.
But the massage “industry” is but one of many that exploit women. As an example, one only needs to look to garment manufacturing around the world to get and idea of how we in the U.S. “benefit”/take advantage of impoverished women. Quite simply, poverty makes human trafficking possible in all of its pathetic forms.
7
It’s the same game in Eastern Europe. They solicit girls with all kinds of promises and upon arrival at their destination they take the passport, intimidate etc. Terrible. We’ve seen fact based drama like Law And Order show very authentic portrayals of these crimes. The ones in escort sites are a different story.
They are business women.
3
@Here Come Da Judge Esq.
Law and Order as a credible source for public policy? Heaven help us.
This is the reason that prostitution be regulated and legalized. There will always be sexual services offered for money, and anyone who believes it will stop because some government official decides to harass the men or women in the business are naïve. 70 countries at least have legalized prostitution and they are the rational ones in this debate. It is interesting that the same women who state that a woman has a right to control her own body turn on a dime and refuse to endorse a woman's right when it comes to an act they themselves do not approve of. Legal and safe should be the catchwords for both abortion and prostitution.
14
@boji3- regulated? Ever hear of the word "corruption"? Payouts to local and state officials and police to look the other way. Legalization will never work. That's a fact, Jack
1
It’s about time that we cracked down on the Johns. It’s the demand that’s creating the problem.
9
@ad
I'm sure you feel the same way about drugs, right?
5
This country has locked up drug users for decades. Why should Johns be treated differently?
1
That is a false equivalency. It is one thing to purchase an illegal substance, it is quite another to rape another human being. We need to be aware of the people that have no qualms about participating in human trafficking simply to scratch an "itch".
Make these disgusting places illegal. Boom! Problem solved. As for the ladies answering ads that promise big bucks but don't give a job description, you may assume it is something nasty and illegal. If you don't want to get tricked into working in the sex trade, do not answer these ads.
2
@Larry
It is illegal to do what they are doing. By definition a crime is illegal.
5
DS. Just like immigration when people enter the country illegally. It’s a crime so I guess you want to lock these folks up besides the hookers, Johns and traffickers.
I can't imagine any man I know basically paying to rape defenseless women. To know there are enough paying customers to create this huge industry is appalling. What on earth is wrong with them? How gross can you be?
31
Unfortunately, these comments are full of men who see nothing wrong here.
1
Americans love to exploit poor and disadvantage people. Like majority Republican farm owners and builders love cheap illegal central American workers but they hate their presence in USA and want to keep them out by building Border Wall. Does any American ever think how a Chines Restaurant owners can afford to give you a unlimited dinner for $9.99?
7
Why aren't these "johns" treated like those who view/save/distribute child pornography? Just viewing child porn is considered promoting sexual acts by children (rightly so) and is severely punished. These johns should be charged with promoting sex trafficking/sexual slavery and severely punished as well.
23
Kraft is a friend of Putin and trump. A few years ago he even gave Putin his Super Bowl ring. Need we say more?
10
"On pins and needles"? These are grown men who ought to be held accountable for feeding the sex trafficking "industry"! It's pathetic; they know full well that what they've done is illegal - or at the least, morally despicable.
16
We're the worst species on the planet.
18
@Joseph- absolutely.
4
Why don’t we start with medicinal prostitution and see how it goes? Think how many talk therapies could be sexual therapy. Then see if recreational makes sense. Must be 100% opt in basis!
4
Only if it is totally gender-equal: so many women"workers" for men, so many young men (also oldish) for women.
Once upon a time slavery was legal. But it was still slavery.
13
I saw a comment re: where are the men in the photo but in the article it explained the “mamasans” are part of the front identified with the business while the “beneficial owner” is far removed as at all the grifters who coerced the women along the way. So unless a massive operation by the FBI is undertaken to get this mafia in a RICO or similar case there currently isn’t enough evidence I guess to tie the men to the crime. More investigation would be needed to tie them in than the local cops have time and resources for. That’s what it seems like to me anyway.
3
It’s a matter of where resources are focused. Communities must continually call the police on these establishments to get action.
The wonder is how the clueless City and State of New York allowed so many of these phony businesses to thrive for so long. Anyone walking past the majority of these businesses in New York City knows they are fronts for abuse and human trafficking. It's rather pitiful that it takes a major investigation by e.g. The New York Times to shine light on bureaucratic ineptitude.
11
@Steven M- Both Cuomo and de Blasio were too busy and distracted with Amazon. They even were willing to prostitute themselves, in my opinion, by bending over backwards and giving them money to move to NYC. Cuomo even said publicly that he would change his name to "Amazon" Cuomo. Talk about wanting to become a slave.
Why are we spending even a dime of the taxpayers' dollar on the prosecution of these women, not to mention the costs of incarceration. They are the victims! Their johns should be punished for stupidity using high fines, loss of driving licenses, vehicles, and whatever else was involved in their availing themselves of "good endings." But the "beneficial owners" of these networks? There's no shortage of big rocks we need broken down into sand. Give them a taste of what their slaves have lived.
15
So called "johns" no more immoral than ordinary consumer purchasing cheap commodities via big box stores totally indifferent to indigenous sweatshop labor abuse.
7
Right on Sean. How many people here moralizing dined out this weekend in a big city restaurant. Take a look in the kitchen. Of course none of those workers are being exploited Yeah right. I feel for these women but at some point they acted to do something illegal. That happened when they came here illegally. The rest is tragic
1
Ummm, there are definitely different things happening here. Low wages, even poverty wages are not the same as rape. The women in these parlors face both. These are not moral equivalencies.
1
Obviously there is a high demand for paid--for sex. If prostitution were legalized, victims of the message parlor trade could have access to legal help. Best case scenario would be if they unionized and gained some clout to protect themselves from abusers.
8
It seems from this article that the location of choice for many of these illicit message parlors are strip-malls, presumably not owned by the operators of these parlors. Making the landlord/owners criminally responsible for the felonious sexual trafficking activities occurring on their properties, under various legal theories, might be another way to confront these human servitude enterprises. Realizing that this could result in driving this activity still further underground, at least an additional approach would starve the lessee parlor operators of some venues from which to conduct their "businesses ".
10
The argument for legalizing rests ironically on the protection of women, who right now have no redress to how they are treated when things go wrong in a sex transaction.
If a woman gets beaten, hurt, cheated out of money during a sex-worker transaction-- who is she going to go to fix the situation? The police? She'll be arrested and possibly treated worse. Yeah, real nice.
If it were legalized, then women in the profession could band together, create unions, form policies, and protect one another in general. And, finally, they could show up in court and criminally prosecute and sue the bums that do them wrong.
Give women the power to run their own lives. LEGALIZE IT.
10
One question that no one seems to have asked.
How much did Kraft pay her?
It's an extremely pertinent question. I think. According to the story, these women are in the bind they're in for as long as it takes to pay their debt. So, if Kraft gave her, say, five grand, that, in my mind, makes a difference. If he gave her a hundred bucks, he's just another john.
Something to think about, given that prostitution is the world's oldest profession, it's not going away and the way it's been handled by law enforcement and legislators has created these places and allowed them to flourish.
6
I am confused. Does the amount of money a man has or is willing to pay magically make the act of human exploitation/abuse noble?
1
Trump is concerned about the trafficking of women coming up from Central America. And overstaying their visas, etc.
I guess he's going to want to build a huuuge wall somewhere out in the Pacific now.
11
But we're in the playoffs!
What? There's large scale criminal organizations involved with prostitution? Wow, this is simply groundbreaking...Nobel worthy.
Little late to the games are we? These two women headlining this piece are not the sole faces of the many, and vast human trafficking and slavery criminal organizations. Human trafficking hits every ethnicity, 'round the world there are poor people, scores of at risk populations of children and teens, the mentally ill, economically desperate, and traditionally sold into slavery in cultures who see the practice as a legitimate means to save a family member, usually male, by selling a female off to the highest bidders.
Basically everywhere humans trod and collect in groups, human trafficking is there. Sex slavery is there. Indentured servitude is there. White, black, all other shades, both sexes, predominately female and young. Vulnerable, desperate. Easy targets.
The sex trade is big. Its also organized, and its ruthless with its human product. Ruthless.
We need to wake up and face the reality of how human flesh is traded good around the world. Especially at the wealthiest levels. Prostitution always accompanies wealth and power. Money and influence.
Casinos are major thoroughfares for the world wide web of slinging prostitution. Elite clubs. Hotels catering to the Rich and Famous.
Kraft.
Trump.
Manafort.
Oligarchs.
Oil billionaires.
Yacht clubs.
Pro Sports.
Entertainment.
Fashion leaders.
Rife with prostitution.
16
All the more reason for full deployment of a modern biometric visa tracking system and E-verify.
Anyone who thinks we shouldn't keep control of our borders and immigration is advocating modern slavery.
3
"I don’t hear our president screaming about this form of immigration."
from Issy earlier here, that it not be missed among the many other Comments.
10
Wow. Excellent excellent article.
3
The men walk and the women are jailed. What else is new?
8
It is not the massage parlors that are doing this in the big picture. It’s the criminalization of sex work. Just like how prohibition of drugs gives rise to the cartels and gangs. If this was regulated and brought into the open it would drastically decrease incentive to enslave women for sex work.
8
Anyone who doesn't view this as modern day slavery is willfully oblivious. This is slavery.
11
I really think organized crime networks that include Government officials, corporate America, religious institutions, and drug dealers who own all the women of the United States while buying and selling females is illegal as the Government does nothing about because they are partaking in the pleasure and gratification of having relations with the females. Lonely, single middle class men are imprisoned for having a woman. It all has to go through the bureau of marriages in Washington DC and never would be approved by for the latter.
Some massage parlors are legitimate. I went to Thai run massage establishment in San Diego with five male friends a year ago January. We were having a reunion and looking for things to do for entertainment. There was absolutely no sex involved nor did we expect it or desire it. It was my first time in my 70+ years on this planet to experience a massage and I found the Thai style of massage to be somewhat painful - especially the part where the masseuse walks on your back. At the end of the 'procedure' I felt relaxed for a bit but a few hours later any benefit had worn off. I'll never go again.
No one should think that all Asian massage parlors are just a camouflage for a sex selling business. Some are actually legitimate massage establishments.
5
@Larry Lief
Some speakeasis served tea and crumpets.
1
I usually think your writing is awesome, but 'indentured servitude'? Let's call it what it is: slavery. The former suggests there may be a way out, someday. The best these poor women can hope for is a police raid.........
8
The exploitation of foreign women in sex trafficking rings is not a victimless crime. There is grave harm that befalls these women that treats them like modern-day slaves. This cannot be rationalized away.
Whether it be Russians, Chinese or East Europeans, these are criminal gang activities and need to be eradicated as the worse of the Mafia was in the 60’s and 70’s. It can be stopped.
12
The New York Times feed alert for this story suggested that the strip mall locations of these massage parlors gave them a sheen of normalcy.
Not a chance.
Strip malls are ugly, tawdry places of environmental ruin. They are disgusting, dirty places even when they are simply homes to grocery and liquor stores.
It is not even possible to give these places of illicit business, victimization and disgusting client behavior a micron of normalcy.
The business is sad. The harm is egregious. Deplorable.
8
Then legalize prostitution. It's even legal here in Muslim Tunisia. America has draconian sex laws and a silly 21 year old drinking age.
13
@Walker Rowe
I'm moving to Tunisia. I heard they have nice beaches too.
Sex trafficking must be stopped.
Arrest the Johns.
7
Can someone please suggest what is the best way one can ensure that a largely Asian facility for massage in one's community is not really a cover for these criminals?
6
What kind of man indulges in this vile behavior?
8
Oh no build the wall and all this human trafficking will stop...just talk to any republican.
2
In most states, massage 'parlors' are called massage establishments and are regulated by the massage state boards. State boards make money from the massage therapist license and the massage establishment license and have state inspectors that are inept. Years ago I proposed to my home state massage board to forbid massage establishments from using any terminology pertaining to 'Asian massage' which is the code word for 'we give happy endings'. The state massage board refused and enable the prostitution and human trafficking market that goes on in the field. Proving once again that state licensing has nothing to do with protecting the public and only protects profit for large unneeded state behemoth bureaucracies.
10
Off as a major spa owner in the New York City area, the type of establishments described here have been a sore spot as a stain on a legitimate industry.
What this report does not highlight, is the slave trade that goes on in the nail salons here and in other cities around the country.
New York state requires nail technicians to be licensed and have to have graduated with a cosmetology degree. 98% people at work in these salons are a part of the slave trade. Why isn’t the government cracking down on them?
7
As a NYS licensed Massage Therapist, specializing in medical massage, part of my decades of professional life is dealing with that for some people ‘massage’ doesn’t mean massage. The desecration of a powerful healing technique is a shame for this country, a shame for real Massage Therapists, a shame for the women being trafficked, and shame on the men who participate in and promote this.
22
As a certified, licensed massage therapist for 28 years, it has always irked me that there are still places where the word " massage" has nothing to do with the service. I am sad that women are exploited and trapped- it's horrifying.
Unfortunately, equally insidious is the fact that these places lend a negative connotation to the massage therapy profession. In my city, the licensure requirements to practice bodywork are very rigorous, and I'm appalled that anyone could get away with practicing or opening an establishment without needing to produce proof of extensive training, (typically 1000 hours of it), and licensure.
17
While I agree with the reporting in this article, it does give the incorrect impression that ALL massage parlors in Flushing provide illicit services. This is not the case. My wife and I have been frequenting a particular establishment (a half-dozen times a year) for over 15 years where there is no hanky panky--it's actual good quality back and foot massage, though the building does give a seedy impression from the outside. The two female masseuses, who are business partners, have mentioned that occasionally they have clients who are part of the sex industry who have come for a proper relaxing massage themselves, but that is extent of their involvement in the Flushing underworld.
The two masseuses own their own business, are not associated with organized crime (to the extent that I am aware), and make enough through quality, decent service to maintain middle class lives. This is their American dream, and they are proud what they have built. While I welcome the spotlight on the illicit trade, I fear overzealous politicians who would close or restrict ALL massage locations to the detriment of those whose legitimate income relies on it, and their customers who benefit from this stress-reducing service.
14
I'm a licensed massage therapist. It angers and endangers me to know that almost NO enforcement of massage licensing is enforced. They're literally advertising with neon lights that "massage" is going on behind their doors. I know many Asian spas where this does not occur, and they would be ok with city and/or county officials coming in to check on the current licensing of their employees. This never happens. NEVER. I take continuing education classes and submit to a background check to stay nationally certified. These women are not massage therapists. if they want to do this work legally, they wouldn't be doing under these conditions, right?And it wouldn't be called 'massage." Can we at least try to get some local enforcement?
18
There are so many angles to that story. Legalizing prostitution does not solve the human trafficking and exploration schemes, as the experience in all countries with liberal prostitution laws shows (Germany, Denmark, etc ). There is just to much money involved. One could think about the Sweden model, where only the purchaser of sex services is criminalized. However, the experience with that model is also not encouraging, as so far in Sweden only a comparably tiny number of men has been charged with that crime, and so far not a single man was ever imprisoned under that charge ( which led to legislative proposals for minimum mandatory prison terms for buyers, alas with no success yet). So what can you do ? What strikes me is the lack of enforcement here - is it so hard to figure out what is going on behind a „massage parlor“? But that’s the point in downtown Flushing- if you go there, you will quickly realize that the only thing which is enforced there, are the parking tickets, and that’s pretty much it. It became truly an extraterritorial space, but that’s how the majority of public representatives in todays big US city administrations want to have it, for whatever reasons. So it’s now difficult to impossible to use low impact measures of regulating prostitution, one of the most effective one being taxation. In Europe, prostitutes generally register for VAT and pay VAT and income taxes. Pimps are often taken out on charges of tax evasion. Why not here?
7
Consenting adults engaging in natural acts absolutely nobody's business. Sex workers actually saving dead end marriages. Allowing middle aged men no longer attracted to looks fading wife, but understandably not divorcing fearing financial catastrophe, a stimulating liaison with a beautiful young woman.
8
Are you saying it's okay to coerce these women to work in the sex industry? It sounds like rape to me.
8
@Sean consenting adults having sex is one thing; this is about women not having any choice at all about whom they service and being forced to service whatever sleaze comes through the door. Hardly a ‘stimulating liaison ‘ for a woman but I guess you’re only considering the man, not the woman who is being abused.
12
A trafficked woman is not a consenting adult, c’mon
9
Just an addendum: Nail Salons are also human trafficking centers. Women clients should be aware of the toxin conditions of workers breathing cancerous solvents in polish and nail removers. Stop and ask questions if the service seems to cheap.
9
@2ndSouth Thank you for your important comment. I don't go to most nail salons. The cheaper ones are noxious; fumes waft out to the sidewalk and most of the workers look miserable, hunched over the hands and feet of women absorbed by their phones. Most
of the workers don't speak English and their customers can't know if they're being paid, and how much, or if they can keep their tips. I can't imagine receiving a personal service from someone who might be enslaved or coerced. That's a human being serving you, whose fingertips are all macerated by chemicals, with a useless face mask on, if she's protected at all. I'm not supporting that.
7
As this sting operation demonstrates so clearly, this type of human trafficking and exploitation is DEMAND - DRIVEN.
In other words, the solution is to *target the people who pay* for the illegal services.
That principle is also true of low-wage illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
7
Did it ever occur to anyone that sanctuary cities are causing this to happen? If light was shed on this and we didn't criminalize the biological imperative of men (many of whom will not find a mate), then slavery wouldn't happen. It is because we allow illegal immigration that things like this can continue to go on in the shadows. Also, due to keeping sex work illegal. Why the state has to come between two consenting adults who enter into a contract, obviously NOT referring to slaves, but voluntary sex workers, of which there are many.
4
As a social libertarian, I have no objection to legalizing prostitution. Evidence from countries that have legalized or decriminalized sex work shows that these legal reforms have little effect on human trafficking. Brothels still bring in foreign women because they can pay them less and subject them to harsher working conditions. Customers don’t care if the women are exploited or abused.
7
So even if he is on camera with 25 other men he is presumed innocent until proven guilty. This is a great country. If you commit a crime the burden of proof is on the prosecution and it it only alleged to have happened; and if they can’t prove their case you are free to go home.
What a country. But you have to be rich first or else it won’t work.
4
@Oliver you have not seen the film but you have drawn your own conclusions.. I suggest you read up on the history of the US and the protections offered by the Constitution of the US. perhaps you would like to change the legal system to if a person is charged he must prove his innocence.
2
Also in today's NYTimes:
"Tulsa Police Officer Who Killed Unarmed Black Man Won’t Face Civil Rights Charges"
What a country.
2
So the best option is to stamp out prostitution.
But that does not seem to be working, and hasn't worked as far as I know for the last few centuries. It's just too hard to enforce and the demand is too high, as we see with drugs.
So the next best option, clearly, is to legalize it and regulate it. I'm no starry-eyed optimist who thinks no one will ever be exploited if it's legal. But I'm pretty sure fewer women will be harmed in a regulated environment.
The worst option is what we do now. Make it illegal so it stays in the shadows, but enforce it so intermittently and ineffectively that it remains ubiquitous.
The massage with a "happy ending" has been a meme since I was in high school, over 30 years ago. So unless someone can think of a way to prevent the illegal sale of sex that no one else has figured out for centuries, let's have the courage do the one thing that will definitely help.
6
Before everyone starts giving opinions about sex-related services, let's remember that the same kinds of abuses have been recently reported about nail salons and Asian restaurants. There is a lot of serious abuse toward workers in many sectors of the "service" economy.
6
It's way past time to legalize prostitution throughout the US, with regulations implemented to protect the safety, health, and well-being of those involved.
13
Making it legal will only increase the illegal practices to fulfill the demand. The owners and johns should be criminalized, for holding these women captive and knowingly participating. I agree women in sex work need protection, but legalizing it is not the answer.
8
I am shocked by the number of people who think this commercialization of women. this servitude, this forced degradation should be legal. This is not prostitution. Human trafficking is akin to kidnapping and torture on a massive scale. If this were a sicko who kidnapped women and kept them in his cellar, would you be calling for legalization?
48
@Currents. I doubt ANY people writing here are saying THIS type of forced sex should be legal. What we ARE saying is women and men who WILLINGLY decide to sell sex should not be criminalized. Two very different things.
6
Behind Illicit massage parlors...thousands and thousands of illicit migrants. And yet many of our politicians want us to not only celebrate the "contributions" these people make to our society but they also want us to accept millions more each year. Is this really improving America?
9
This kind of human trafficking is rampant all across our country. It’s time to legalize, tax, and regulate prostitution in the US.
6
@Michelle
It's time to throw a lot of johns in prison as well as snip repeat offenders.
5
I cannot bear all of the comments from readers who presume that legalizing prostitution will eliminate sex trafficking. That is a personal opinion based on nothing more than presumption. And an obvious ignorance of what sex trafficking is and why it happens.
Definitive studies have been done on this issue, and the clear results show that legal prostitution does not decrease or eliminated sex/human trafficking.
Harvard Law and International Development Society
"Does Legalized Prostitution Increase Human Trafficking?" https://orgs.law.harvard.edu/lids/2014/06/12/does-legalized-prostitution-increase-human-trafficking/
Robert Kraft is wealthy enough to afford a very exclusive and expensive professional "escort" who would surely do anything he wanted and keep secret about the encounter, and go to a nice hotel room (or someone's condo) to do the deed. And surely there are men in his personal orbit who could arrange it for him if he didn't want to do it himself. Ask yourselves why he went to a sleazy Asian massage parlor in a strip mall (in his Bentley- how indiscreet?) for cheap sex with an Asian woman (who likely spoke little or no English)? It's not just about sex.
51
What do you propose men do if they cannot marry? and it is a fact that every woman can find a partner, but every man cannot. Should their biological imperative continue to be criminalized?
6
What does men not being married have to do with any of this? Your notions of ‘biological’ sexual requirements for men is grossly unscientific and complete rubbish.
12
Are you serious? New Zealand completely legalized all sex work over a decade ago and they’ve had ZERO trafficking. Look around the world at all the dangerous countries that allow it, such as Singapore, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland etc etc. The US lags so far behind these and other civilized countries, it’s very sad.
5
San Gabriel got rid of most of its massage places in the last years. Does anyone know the real story behind this?
Are the remaining ones legit or part of organized crimes? Any bribes paid to local officials?
2
No second chances for the owners and managers of these places. Deport them immediately.
12
There's a lot of meat on this bone.Epstein,he of under age sex trafficking and buddy of our lowlife president.There was Trump Model Agency[or casting]known for getting women and probably children into the US on temporary visas.I am not aware of any of them breaking into "super model"status and as history has proven
trump's University,Foundation,Water,Vodkas,Steaks and so on are fronts for something other than advertised or slush funds for his family.Now we turn to the highly dubious trump appointed Labor secretary,Acosta.How did trump even know this dude?Why was he given a plum job in his adm.?Could it be a reward for getting his buddy Epstein and himself off for trafficking in minor, illegal sex workers with just a slap on the wrist?How much was Acosta paid for this legal somersault?While Maxine Waters is looking into Trump's financials,[please remember to check out SCOTUS son Kennedy who worked for Deutsche bank]a looksee at Acosta's returns might be illuminating.This entire sleazy thread could probably unwind into the biggest ball of corruption,misogyny kidnapping and illegal entry into USA.I, for one, want to see the list of "johns" and spa owners that so horribly abused these women indicted, fined and jailed.Is what is going on at our border an extension of this perversion??Children in tents,kidnapped and unaccounted for???
17
horribly abused? by whom?
@Is the Apocalypse here yet?...the spa owners. ..these women slept on massage tables, cooked on hot plates usually didn't get a breath of fresh air, had nowhere to put their paltry personal possessions and got a pathetic % of the $ paid them for 10 to 15 tricks a day.I call that abuse.You must be male if you have to have this explained to you.
2
@susan mccall If you want people to read your comment, use the space bar. NYT doesn't charge you for spaces.
Look at what you have perpetuated. I hope the police do “come knocking.”
5
I’m with the group that thinks Kraft with his devotion to GOP causes represents the worst of what they believe: hypocrisy.
Yes go ahead and tell us that liberal causes are bad all the while you go visit sex parlors with women slaves serving you.
41
Social democracies put safeguards into place to prevent the exploitation of workers and the environment. Bring it!
2
Now Bob Kraft will unleash his army of highly paid lawyers for the next step in the process, to intimidate and frighten these women who were unlikely to testify in the first place. Have his buddy in the White House deport a few troublemakers. Perhaps making it worth their while after things settle down. Wink, wink.
And proving his innocence in the process, right?
14
Those who say that the solution is simply to legalize prostitution are missing the bigger picture of the article. Even if it were legal, importing Chinese women into America purely for the sake of sexually servicing American men is absolutely disgusting and belies our country's stated objective of bringing over the best and brightest immigrants of the world. It would unequivocally destroy any semblance of moral high ground the United States has. Let these Chinese women find their way in their home country rather than bringing them over for your own perverse purposes.
20
Welcome to America! Law enforcement needs to quit worrying about that 1/2oz of weed bust. Shut this mess down.
21
@arcadia65
Cops aren't busting people for joints. Most drug arrests are for trafficking and dealing in narcotics, as well as nearly almost always related felony crimes such as human and sex trafficking, illegal weapons, assault, etc...
2
It strikes me that this sordid underside of society has only come to light - again - because of the high-profile "johns". Such modern slavery - for that is what it is - has been swept under the rug for far too long. Maybe, just maybe this time might make a difference?
Although it's the tip of a very large iceberg:
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/feb/25/modern-slavery-trafficking-persons-one-in-200
19
The World of Suzie Wong comes to America. You want to stop this, then regulate and license the people who participate.
5
No. Shut it down. Legalizing sex work doesn’t make any less heinous. It’s still commodification of human beings. Using people for sex is morally wrong, whether it’s legal or not.
4
why are we allowing any of this to exist?
14
America's border seems to me selectively very porous.
11
Yes, many massage parlors are cover for prostitution.
And far more importantly, the women working in such parlors are often not there voluntarily.
Why is the NY Times just noticing these two facts about massage parlors?
10
Absurd that this is going on in the 21st century. Legalize prostitution and this problem pretty much goes away. Regulate it, tax it, it's a win-win for everybody. If the Christians don't like it ? Just tell them that they can quit going.
12
It’s not just Christians who know that commodification of people is morally wrong. No.
2
Fix the border and immigration issues or watch them increase drastically if prostitution is legalized. First things first!
1
A most despicable “business”
1
I have NO sympathy for these men go to these places and pay for sex slaves. I am glad the authorities are going after the Johns. Lock all of them up.
34
For Gods sake legalize Prostitution.
When that happens and there is light to be thrown the women will have rights to approach cops without feeling they will be arrested. Legalize let them register as business and do your inspections. Workers can organize as unions. It’s high time For a profession as old as humanity itself for need as basic as food ( unless you are God’s and want to practice celibacy like the catholic priests)
12
I disagree. Human beings aren’t commodities to be bought and sold. Sex isn’t meant to be purchased like a soda. It’s degrading to both parties, regardless of whether or not it’s legal.
3
Apparently our federal government is handing out work visas for these women to come here like sticks of gum.
6
Why is this called indentured servitude? It’s that Virginia governor all over again. This is rape. These women have no power, are often lied to, and are afraid to leave or report it. They aren’t even getting the money for their sex work.
They are being raped. They are the survivors of sex slavery.
Call it what it is and maybe more people will realize what they are doing when they become “customers”
24
I am SO tired of you people suggesting that prostitution be legalized. What woman, given other legitimate, livable opportunities would choose to work as a prostitute? That number is very, very small. And I think their background would reveal abuse of some sort. The real answer lies elsewhere.
326
@Madame X
The answer of course is that most of those women can not get livable opportunities in other occupations. Much of this poverty and inequality is due to U.S. economic and political policies -- overthrowing democratically elected socialist governments, and so forth.
You can look up Nick Kristoff's columns about an organization that "freed" sex workers (recalling from memory here) in Thailand, and got them "respectable" jobs in factories -- at a fraction of the income. A few weeks later, the sex workers were all back in the brothels, because they couldn't afford to live on the factory income.
If you want a more realistic view of the subject, do a Google news search for the term "commercial sex worker," which is the non-pejorative term that these workers use themselves. They are organized into unions in countries like Canada and the Netherlands, and they can speak for themselves.
38
@Madame X
Given other legitimate, livable opportunities, sure. But what about in the other cases?
8
Wake up. Escorts make a fortune if they manage their work, form corporations, buy real estate and start fading out at 45 -50. They are everywhere and not make 200k to 400k annually I’m sure
18
The lawyer, Baya Harrison IV, do we think he's hired by the owner of the Spa she was working at (bad guys), or actual friends from New York?
4
@Fivecolors I am Baya Harrison IV. After Ms. Zhu was arrested, her picture and name were published in every Chinese-language news outlet in the U.S., but Ms. Zhu's friends and family had no way to contact her. I was hired by several of her friends to visit her in jail because I am licensed in Florida (and New York and California), speak fluent Mandarin Chinese, and represent Chinese clients. Ms. Zhu retained me to represent her in this case.
4
False imprisonment, prostitution, drugs, money laundering to meet the wishes of cheap, sleazy billionaires who buy sex like they hire janitors and cooks. The Florida AG should be all over this. The NFL must speak up.
11
How do we know which massage places are practicing this? There are a few in Greenpoint that I like that seem like regular places to get a cheap full body - I don't want to support this stuff! Maybe it's just because I'm female and go during the day...? Often I have a male doing the massage too.
2
Every man who received "services" at these establishments should have their names printed prominently in their local newspapers. Do not tell me they did not know what they were doing was not exploitative. I am so sick of these depraved men objectifying women for their sole gratification.
13
@Julie
Many men sick of women strategically sizing up, objectifying men based on their substantial bank account.
1
I believe the FBI and state law enforcement agencies. And their statistics show that real sex trafficking (involving force/coercion) is among the rarest of all crimes in America. This crusade headed by Polaris is all about quashing all sex work between peaceful, consenting adults. Because that goes against the Bible, and major funding comes from wealthy religious right-wing zealots such as Swanee Hunt. Wake up folks!
6
No. Sex work isn’t moral, sex isn’t a commodity. And people should respect others even when (especially when) women don’t respect themselves. Would you want your daughter to be a sex worker? No? Me either. So it’s not ok for others’ daughters to treat their bodies as things, to be bought, used, and sold.
1
Now we're going to hear the whining of men whose comment will consist of "I never went to a massage parlor, so stop showing me stuff!" They say the same thing about workplace harassment, income inequality, reproductive rights, women in government, the likability requirement, on and on and on.
Spare us the outrage of men who puff up and say that since THEY never personally indulged in sexual predation just because they could, this writer has nothing to say. Maybe the water cooler talk got racy about that massage parlor down the street, but that was just guys.
2
The case locally appears to be a mess. They misidentified one client, that can not be made up to him, the arrest record will always be there. The local sheriff now says even the women running the show were victims and thus can't be charged. There is no trafficking because no one will testify out of fear. Some of the Johns will be punished but good lawyers will get the Krafts off.
3
First off, ''Socrates" is right. Where are all the "men" running this operation? Where are their faces? Oh, and their lawyers, too. I want to know what kind of a bottom-feeder will defend such men. I sure hope the money helps them to sleep at night. As for the men running this sex purgatory, prison is inappropriate. They should be forced to experience the same abuse they inflicted on these women: shackled, bent over, and having unprotected sex with strangers three times a day for years.
8
Well... New York City is just the gift that keeps on giving: Donald Trump and modern slavery. Perhaps you all should apologize.
1
I don't feel that Robert Kraft should be severely disciplined by the NFL because of his extreme immorality. I feel that Robert Kraft should be severely disciplined by the NFL because of his extreme stupidity.
2
The article misses the tax angle. These are all cash businesses, there is a tremendous amount of tax evasion and money laundering. Go after them for tax evasion and racketeering.
17
@Chris Kox
The IRS budget has been slashed significantly since 2011. It had about 92,000 employees 10 years ago and has closer to 75,000 now. In addition, do you have any idea how many businesses there are like this, engaging in tax evasion and money laundering, in South Florida?
3
For the folks who are saying that prostitution should be legalized so that it can be legitimized, taxed, and monitored; I don't see how that makes the problem of buying sex better for the mostly women who are mostly forced into this system.
We aren't going to legalize child abuse, or say, murder, so that we can closely monitor the problem and avoid victimization for those who are vulnerable.
242
As much I dislike prostitution, legalisation allows this industry to be formally regulated like any regular industry, thus preventing several forms of abuse towards the workers. Moreover, legalisation equals to more competition which makes doing business less lucrative as profits have to be shared among more parties. Consequently, the abusive powerful criminal organisations currently controlling this industry lose interest.
13
@JLP
Extremely silly argument.
Monitoring and legitimizing prostitution would prevent many of the problems described in this article.
Monitoring murder would still leave the victim dead.
14
@JLP = Dear JLP: Children are not "consenting adults" and that red herring rots fast. Murder is also not a consensual act, and even for a few loonies who might agree to it, it is not a widely sought consensual act. Another rotting red herring. Prohibition of a wide-sought free exchange always creates more crime, while reasonable regulation reduces harm.
5
I'm sorry but this form of trade needs to be shut down everywhere including Amsterdam. If a woman/man wants to conduct trade with sex (as the goods), then she/he needs a self-inspired business model without using others. The opportunity to exploit the weak and unknowing is too high for this to be legal.
12
I am surprised that a serious money guy like Kraft would stoop so as to let one of these women touch him. I am sure there are plenty of high end escort services in that area. Maybe Kraft is a little tight with the buck! I am sure if he asked around some of his close buddies could give him a referral.
2
The problem is everyday "nice guy next-door" men don't necessarily think it is a problem to exploit women, or that they don't act to protect women when their Bros exploit them. A colleague who is a married, with a long military career , confessed to me that he had gotten drunk with his best friend, and that the friend had taken him to a "massage parlor" where he believed that the women were there under force. I asked him where it was- he said he didn't know...he was drunk and it was late...somewhere in North Seattle. I asked him why didn't he call the police? Why not call the police now? He said he confessed to his priest, and he didn't want to get his longtime friend in trouble, and he felt guilty but absolved. The friend is married to a teacher and has a daughter, and his wife would probably divorce him if she knew what he was doing. So causing the friend trouble was out of the question. I was dumbfounded- protecting his BRO was more important than protecting these women and helping them get out of slavery. Where was the good guy I thought I knew? This is exactly where good guys need to act! I realized that maybe that "nice guy next door" isn't actually so nice.
17
Legalize and regulate sex work as has been done successfully in Germany, Switzerland, Australia, and other countries. It is utter insanity to think that a practice as old as mankind can be policed out of existence. State regulated brothels are safer and healthier for workers and customers. The victims of prostitution arrests are, most often, poor women.
A man who pays thousands of dollars to be a 'sugar daddy' gets off scot free, but a man who pays $100 for a happy ending is a criminal, along with the masseuse who provides the service. Strangest of all, if a woman is paid for sex, but the act is captured on video, that's not a crime, it's the porn industry. Time to free up the police to catch real criminals, maybe people who commit tax fraud.
7
Legalized prostitution in the countries you mention has not been a 'success' as far as preventing human trafficking. Quite the contrary. It has given legal protection to brothel owners and traffickers, and made it more difficult for authorities to investigate their activities. The workers are still duped, coerced, and abused. It is effectively a legalized slave trade.
2
Human trafficking.... modern day slavery is alive and well and not only in the sex trade. Women and men from countries like Thailand, the Philipines, Bangladesh are indebted and enslaved to pay off those debts and shipped to the Middle East, to the US to the EU and anywhere else there is a market for 'cheap' unskilled labor. Sex for sale is just one of the 'job opportunities'.
The real problem is poverty. There, here, everywhere. It matters not a whit that some 'john' is arrested. Sure it makes people look up for a second and think something is being done but this does nothing at all to help the women and girls who are the real victims.
185
@MelMill
The real problem is overpopulation that has doubled the number of humans on the planet (as well as doubled the U.S. population) since the 1960s, mostly among the 3rd world poor. There are not 7.6 billion jobs now, nor is there room for that bloat. When the human population is 10 billion, there still will not be 7.6 billion jobs nor room for that bloat.
We are too many, and it will forever be the girls and women who suffer most.
10
@MelMill
George Haytan was an American doctor who graduated medical school in the 1930s and wanted to serve where he was most needed, so he went to Shanghai, and treated sexually transmitted disease, according to a profile in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Then came the revolution and he joined with Mao. He was in charge of treating sexually transmitted diseases, and prostitution.
They decided that the only way to stop prostitution was to offer women other jobs at livable wages, which they did. According to the NEJM, that eliminated most prostitution, and most sexually transmitted diseases. (One of his colleagues said that, if it wasn't for the Great Cultural Revolution, he would have eliminated malaria too.)
Haytan said that whenever there were inequalities of income, with wealthy men and impoverished women, there will always be prostitution.
The socialist solution is equality and eliminating poverty. That's more effective than arresting people.
23
@Maggie Granted, the world could do with a few less souls but, income inequality has existed for as long as organized economies have existed. Be it Communism, Socialism or Capitalism, someone is always losing out. If evolution is real, let's hope we evolve past human greed to become something better.
3
I wonder how many of the advocates of legalizing and regulating prostitution feel the same way about gun regulation?
1
Prostitutes don't shoot up schools or country music concerts. They are not deadly weapons that can be used to kill. They present a much more benign challenge to society than the one presented to an ER crew with a gunshot victim bleeding out.
That being said, I tjink we're better regulating guns rather than banning them. Banning guns outright would lead to an organized crime economy just like the kind we've enabled in the case of prostitution and drugs.
Better to regulate than ban, in general.
2
@Yeller Dawg I do. I support legalizing, taxing, and strongly regulating the sex industry AND I support taxing guns and regulating them MUCH more than we do now.
2
Undoubtedly it is probably the same. Shock oh shock!
"Pervasive secrecy?" Seriously? C'mon. These places are in strip malls all around us. We all know what goes on in them.
The problem is not secrecy, it is complacency.
Law enforcement need to make it a priority to shut this industry down. This isn't about sex. It's about human trafficking.
9
I hate this story because these places are so obvious. They operate in plain sight next to reputable business owners who complain and NOTHING is ever done. EVER. Organized crime is alive and well. Sex trafficking is, too. Those vans with the girls. They are in every business district in America. The Johns, who scurry in and out, are despicable. The citizens who pretend it’s not happening are criminals. Sit in any strip mall across the USA for 5 minutes and you can watch the show, too. I’m not even sure why this is news.
11
Robert Kraft should go to jail.
Robert Kraft participated in, supported the slave sex trade. He has knowledge of its existence, he should have known he was supporting it.
The slave sex trade is a business, and it is a business because there is a demand. The John is the customer. If the John goes to jail the demand will fall, the business will close.
A poor boy robs a 7/11 he goes to jail.
A man that supports the slave sex trade must to to jail.
What better poster child?
20
What's lacking is self-control in men, priests, and presidents. Instead of legalizing the business how about punishing men who are engaged in human trafficking and teaching boys that girls and boys are not their playthings to misuse and abuse.
25
The New York Times should investigate this, but not just report claims by "law enforcement."
The sad picture at the top is of two women in handcuffs. In the story not one leader (or suspected leader) of this "organized crime" is named. Law enforcement has been making this claim for at least a decade. Why no arrests?
The lack of arrests of the big players behind all the trafficking is suspicious. Arresting the women is a terrible thing to do, yet it continues, only making the police look worse.
One last thing. If the center of this nationally is in Queens: who do we know that is the head of a crime family in Queens?
I wonder if Allan Weisselberg, Felix Slater, Mathew Calamari Jr. and Sr. could identify the trafficker-in-chief?
I wonder if the head honcho is Chinese, or Russian, or even an American?
Bottom line: this isn't a well investigated story.
Arresting "Johns" like Robert Kraft is no more important than arresting the women, unless he can tell us who is the ringleader. Wouldn't it be something if he fingered his friend, the current occupant of the White House?
11
There are lot of these types of places, all across the country. If you don't get massages, you would never know all of this. My son, once came from Switzerland 9 years ago, and at the edge of a small strip mall, with hardware store, Republican Party Headquarters, Chinese Restaurant, and about 10 other stores, it said massage. When they went in, it was obvious what kind of place it was, they didn't do regular massages for sore backs, etc. so they walked right out. My sister-in-law just came to visit us, as we are in Arizona for the winter, and went in another place with two of her friends in the neighborhood, and they bragged about the fact that it was rated #4 for erotic massages, so they walked back out. Obviously, this is allowed, as both places have been here for the 9 years we have been out here, and haven't been closed down.
15
If you are a getaway driver for a team of burglars and a homicide is committed, you can be charged with murder. Even if you thought the home was empty. Even if you never thought anyone would get hurt, you can be charged with murder because you were a willing participant in the crime. If you are going to a illegal brothel you know you are a willing participant in a crime. You may not know that it is being run by and managed by sex traffickers, but you know you are committing a crime. Sex traffickers are destroying peoples lives and their customers are just as complicit. Sex slaves are not giving consent, therefore they are being raped. Charge the men who frequent these places with rape and being accomplices to sex trafficking. I cannot imagine living a life more tragic than being a sex slave. Think about it.
329
@Linda
The article doesnt prove that the women involved were "slaves". It is promoting a frame of reference and analysis that flies in our current misandrist political climate. There is very little correlation between the image of slavery portrayed by the data-free and statistics-free anecdotes cited in the article and what is actually happening in the real world. Think about it.
2
@Linda
Why is paying for a sexual act a crime? Two consenting adults exchange money for a service. That should not be a crime. So sick of moralistic authoritarians telling everyone else how to run their lives. So disgusted by these dictators criminalizing other people's freedom.
2
LOVE the “walking with God” T shirt! This picture sums of the state of Christianity in Trump’s America.
9
It's a modern story of slavery that's as old as our country: people who have money - the madams, the pimps and the Kraft johns - brutalizing people who don't. Please do a follow-up on your excellent articles on the wage scandals in nail salons, too, New York Times, because with better wages comes empowerment. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/01/nyregion/nail-salon-sweeps-in-new-york-reveal-abuses-and-regulatory-challenges.html.
7
Shameful Exploitation. The picture of Kraft is worth 10,000 words.
5
There is a similar parlor for pedicures and such at the end of my street that has been busted for prositution twice. Yes, twice, because they were allowed to stay in business. And they still are in business! I see men in cars leaving there after 11PM and getting their nails done.
5
Kraft of the New England Patriots, charged with patronizing a sex parlor, should be sentenced to reading aloud this article every day as part of his "community service."
He faces a $5000 fine, a joke for this billionaire. Maybe reading what he enables would have more of an effect.
If the judge does not order it, the NFL should.
And have him kneel when he does the reading.
12
Why doesn’t Bob Kraft donate a few of his millions so the trafficked women can get help? The talk of the ‘oldest profession’ is such a tired cliche. The women are being treated as receptacles. They are traumatized. Kraft and the other Johns will get a free pass. A few headlines,
lawyers to handle the problems and it’s the victims who suffer.
7
I laughed when I read about Kraft. Was sad when I found out that many of the 'working girls' are basically slaves. But hearing that lots of these sex workers are old enough to be grandmothers was a revelation. They aren't kids who ran away from home and got strapped for cash. Why are they being allowed to enter and stay in the USA? And more importantly, why are those who exploit them, both pimps and johns, not suffering any consequences?
7
Thank God for Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, and his righteous crusade to eliminate the pestilence that was Backpage.
“The oldest profession in the world,” so known because it’s existed for approximately as long as money itself, and we still haven’t figured out a way to reconcile basic human nature with the moral imperative to prevent sex slavery.
Whoever keeps insisting that this is civilisation should remember: “almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.”
3
Note to Nr. Musca: those are not "folks"; they are male customers of an illegal, in more ways than the usual, activity. These "flowers" are dyed in the wool #me-too women.
2
The easiest solution to this is to make this work legal. Why is no one discussing this?
63
Selling ones body should NOT be encouraged.
What's next? Selling our kidneys and corneas? @Anonymous
17
Because many disagree with legalized sexist work. Human beings aren’t commodities. It’s degrading to both parties, regardless of whether or not it’s legal. Do you want your child to grow up to be a sexual worker? No?
19
@Anonymous Regulate what? How does legalization of sex workers deter or stop human trafficking? More will be brought in. More false documents will be made to cover the workers; I don't understand how this will help anyone but the money makers and the clientele. Where do the victims fit into this equation? They are too afraid or indebted to tell the truth of their situation. Nah, I don't think so.
17
WFAN’s Mike Francesa said the other day, while discussing Bob Kraft, that if the women were in their 40s or 50s, Kraft could not have known that they had been coerced. As if age had anything to do with it.
I noted the number of men calling the station to decriminalize prostitution, not out of concern to these women’s welfare, but really so that their clients, esp one as privileged as Kraft, wouldn’t have to endure such public humliation.
As if many women would willingly take on such jobs - even those without being under duress - if they had any other choice. Sweeping floors, cleaning toilets would be far more preferable.
Yes, there are some women who enjoy their trade, but far, far fewer than the demand. Perhaps the closest thing are the so-called ‘high class escorts’. Not in some cheap strip mall.
As with our drug problem, this is one of demand. In the era of #meToo, and the repugnant incels, that should say it all.
6
I’m sure horrible cases of abuse occur, but how many of these women are being forced into this line of work by criminals rather than by abject poverty? Your “Men are monsters” article suggests the women all stay silent for fear traffickers are “trying to find my little sister back home.” China had a one-child policy for decades and may have a fertility rate as low as 1.18. Can they all fear for their little sisters when hardly anyone in China has a little sister? In 2017, the Times said 43 million Chinese lived on 95 cents per day. Did all these women need to be coerced into making more in a day than they'd make in months at home? Were they all duped? Wouldn't most have found jobs through networking, the way most people find jobs, so friends would have told them what to expect?
Your powerful, moving and sad October article, “The Case of Jane Doe Ponytail,” described a case that I suspect is more typical, of poor women trying to make the least unpleasant choices among the bad alternatives life offers them.
What do these women want us to do? Rescue them? Leave them alone? ("Jane Doe" jumped out a window when police came for her.) How can we protect those who are indeed abused and victimized? Is there more or less abuse in European countries where prostitution is legal? Are women any more comfortable reporting abuses there? Any safer?
Is the best use of our tax dollars to lock up lonely 77-year-old widowers who want to feel a woman’s touch again before they die?
6
@Tim
I'm all for decriminalization of sex work, but your appeal for sympathy for poor, lonely 77-year old Kraft, who is, according to your logic, deserving of and entitled to "a woman's touch before [he] die[s]" is laughable. This guy is a multi-millionaire. I'm sure he could get a data with a woman his age, heck with lots of women his age since there are more 75+ year-old women than men.
That he chooses to exploit trafficked women is grotesque and, yes, criminal.
The fact that so many (mostly) men are defending johns who frequent parlors where women are trafficked is disturbing to say the least.
3
Sec trafficking is a terrible problem - terrible. And it’s nationwide. It’s as big an issue in Houston as it is in New York. LA has it too. And Boston. Any big city.
.
But someone needs to explain to me this: why is everyone focused on arresting johns en-masse instead of ramping up the penalties and going after the pimps and madames that run these shops? In the war on drugs, we learned that mass arrests of minor users doesn’t make the problem go away and does more harm than good to society. That’s compounded tenfold with sec trafficking. It seems the same logic ought to apply.
.
But it doesn’t. And I can’t figure that out.
5
Shut them all down. They are a problem all over the U.S. with regard to being a front for illegal activities. There are plenty of legitinate places people can get a legitimate massage.
11
Pre-Castro Cuba
I celebrated my 22d birthday in Cuba. Literally. I'd developed a friendship with a busboy in my hotel who was my age. His friends, artists and musicians, were my informal party guests -- first alongside the seaside "Malecon" and then around a restaurant table. Earlier in my stay he took me on a tour that the tourist office wouldn't provide, to houses of some repute (where females had sexual services on offer), each of which had a sitting room, where very little of "sizing-up" seemed to be going up. The atmosphere most resembled a YWCA hosting male guests. In one, a ping pong table was set up and played on in an alcove in plain sight a few steps away from where I sat on a couch with a hostess. My busboy friend told me that young men were kept away from casual fraternizing with females of their own social class, and that the houses of some repute were in a strange way presumed to be training grounds for regular boy-girl relations.
Prostitution, if it is to remain criminal, needs to punish the buyer as least as harshly, and as publicly, as the seller.
Johns should have their photos and names published in the local newspaper (print and on-line versions) so that their spouses, girlfriends, and employers can be advised of their nefarious deeds.
And, in the spirit of Making America Great Again, let’s bring back that great 18th century punishment - the public stockade. I would love to see Robert Kraft publicly stockaded in Boston Commons, for the public to ridicule and toss popcorn at.
That’s after the NFL forces him to sell his team, for violation of the fine morals code that non-profit lives by.
9
Continuing abuse of workers illegally living in the United States relies on rare punishment of their employers or end users. This story becomes relevant because of clients like Robert Kraft who don't expect to be arrested. Ditto for employers in agriculture and the trades who knowingly employ undocumented workers but rarely even go through the motions of using E-Verify. It's not that I think non-residents should be barred from legal occupations. We need their skills and hard work. I think the system needs to be organized and overseen by the government as was the case with the bracero program for farm workers.
4
Here in Florida it was shocking to read that the Speaker of the Florida house "repeatedly referred to pregnant women as 'host bodies' in a radio interview". He claims he was just using the language of hospital ethics boards. Most people who are not aware of the extreme language used by the so-called "pro-life" radicals were angry as well as shocked by his language.
When men in high elected positions are comfortable using language such as "host bodies" to refer to women, human trafficking is just one more normalized abuse of women by the lawmakers in charge (in Florida that would be the Republican party controlling all levers of power except the Agriculture Commissioner who is a newly elected Democratic woman.)
Whenever a city is awarded the Super Bowl, special concerns for the expansion of human trafficking are highlighted by those organizations working to stop trafficking. The arrests in Minneapolis may be a direct result of its Super Bowl. Tampa is still dealing with the problems from its Super Bowl. Kraft is not alone in the NFL in seeking out enslaved women despite all of the media warnings. It is just one more example of the lack of standards in the NFL and its feeder organizations.
Kraft's indictment is another example of owner tolerance for a business model which does have victims other than the players whose life-changing injuries have been ignored for so long. It is not surprising that Pence and Trump find support from men like Kraft.
5
One of the fundamental issues that is being overlooked here is the catalyst driving the "demand" to emigrate to the United States: debt. Individuals who have become indebted beyond their means to repay forfeit their autonomy and cede leverage to their creditors. At its most basic level, this type of lost autonomy creates the "labor market" for industries that profit from human trafficking.
Slavery is abhorrent. I would also submit that the forces that result in and profit from slavery are equally abhorrent. Let us therefore not overlook the mechanisms of perpetuating debt and their crushing effects on people who, though not quite driven to bonded servitude, nevertheless cannot escape the terms imposed by their creditors. If we address the human-trafficking crisis, or any other crisis such as the opioid crisis, the student-loan crisis, the sub-prime mortgage crisis or our current political crisis without attention to the fundamentally corrupting influence of "debt-servicing", we will fall short of addressing the true cause of these miseries.
This mechanism operates at all levels of society. How else can one explain the self-induced debasement of United States senators at a Congressional hearing, who behave in a manner far more immoral and objectionable than a hand-job? One presumes the women in the massage parlors perform acts against their will. What level of indebtedness drives senators Jordan and Meadows to prostitute themselves so shamelessly?
4
Most of the sad things in this story are the result of prostitution being illegal.
In New Zealand, prostitution is legal. Sex workers pay taxes and enjoy the labor law protections any worker gets. They don't need to fear calling the police. Legal brothel operators have every incentive to report illegal operators.
Some people are still bad. But they are much fewer in number and far more likely to be caught.
The problems you're reporting are largely the consequence of prohibition.
9
Another means of entry into the US is through an arranged for money marriage with a US serviceman or tourist. The last time I served in Korea was in the early 1970s and the going price for agreeing to this scam was $10,000. Once the girl had her green card and free transportation she split the scene for work in the sex industry. Not all of these girls went to work in massage parlors. Some participated in sending black market goods back to her country. I am not sure if this is still done on such a grand scale due to economic improvement but I would say that in Thailand or any other third world country, this practice is widely used today.
1
Of the 7 deadly sins, 2 are greed and lust and they have been with us since the beginning of man's exercise of free will. These sins have been the cause of much misery to desperate people [human trafficking, sexually transmitted disease, divorce, moral decay, violence, black market, and sex, drug, and alcohol addictions.] As Shakespeare stated in one of his sonnets when passion led to a downfall: "eternal damnation for a moment's mirth." And as Kurt Vonnegut stated at the end of many novels: "and so it goes."
2
Activist groups such as Demand Abolition (and many more) are pushing local governments to prosecute all prostitution customers for more serious crimes, such as "pimping" (promoting prostitution). They seek to conflate ordinary prostitution as "trafficking."
Veterans of the War on Drugs will recognize the idea of prosecuting customers ("if there is no demand, there will be no supply"), which in the drug war led to decades long sentences for possession of small amounts of Marijuana. Americans, it seems, have a magnetic attraction to Draconian Prohibition. It appears to be a disease that never can be cured, because it leads of avenues of corruption and enhanced power. It undoubtedly also will lead to more incarceration of people of color.
I am pleased that some other commenters recognize the wisdom of legalizing sex work and prosecuting slavery. There is a difference between the two, which thinking people easily can discern. For people who want to have a replacement for the War on Drugs and it's hidden agendas, I think we'll have to just fight them in the arena of politics. The right does not have a monopoly on reactionary morality campaigns.
4
So how do these women enter the US and then housed in these businesses illegally?
Trump want to spend billions on a wall. The illegal network for human trafficking certainly doesn't work by climbing over walls along the Mexican border.
First, make business actually be tied to a person who will be responsible and will be fined or go to jail for illegal operations. No person no business license.
Second, each employee of the business will have to be documented as US citizen or have some immigration status. If not, the business owner (a person) will be employing illegal employees and face a fine or jail.
The police and courts will deal with the illegal status of the employees.
Enforce the law. City, County, State and Federal Attorney General have the power in law to do this now. If not they are not enforcing the law which each took an oath to do.
Yes there are other higher ordered crimes and which do you attack first, second and third? But human trafficking should be on the top 10.
Frankly this is inside the US in cities vs the Mexican border and has a larger impact on the safety of each community than spending billions of dollars on a wall (and other border security resources) that already exist.
3
It is hard to imagine the depravity written about here. This is happening in 2019? If we read about this in the 1700’s it would seem outrageous. This is no different than slavery or incarceration.
5
Yes, strick fear in the men. Focus on the johns and the owners and managers of these facilities. Hit the demand side of the equation.
5
@Liz McDougall
Yes, Let's declare War on Prostitution! That way we can create a new multibillion dollar enforcement agency to further justify our expanded surveillance capabilities and even more cost-effective private prisons.
1
Many commenters say legalizing prostitution would take care of the problem, but a huge problem still remains. There are creeps who want something different, whether it's sex with children or sex involving torture. Wherever there is someone willing to pay for something, no matter how gross, there is someone willing to provide. Human traffickers need to be shut down, whether prostitution is legal or not.
15
Why can't we finally put a stop to organized crime? They're the one behind the fentanyl on the streets, the sex-trafficking, the issuing of fake visas.
It doesn't help that we have a president who invites known mob figures to his New Years parties at Mar-a-Lago, even bringing one onto the stage and giving him a trophy. It doesn't help that we have a president who speaks in mob language and is proud to act like a mobster.
20
@Linda The common thread running through each of these victims is they are illegal immigrants being taken advantage. For you to blame the one public official who is the biggest voice to stop illegal immigration, tells me, you lack the basic macro educational understanding of what supplies this criminal network. Your party has no interest in stopping illegal immigration; until it does, this problem will likely continue.
1
He selectively enforces illegal immigration, mostly due to shin color. Otherwise, where’s our northern wall? He has used illegal immigration to benefit himself many times. Republicans are no moral authorities on any matter anymore, they burnt that bridge. - Former 30-year Republican
So then: make this work legal. Provide a “release valve” for trafficked and abused women and men, that gives them a choice of asylum, vocational training, or redelivery back to their home country. Every option could be capped at a cost of, say, 50% of the average salary of a sex worker over, perhaps, two years, so that it doesn’t just become the retirement plan for happy sex workers (yes, they exist) that want to do something else. And tax the institutions that profit from sex work to pay for the program.
25
@David Willis On what grounds should people from China, South Korea, Thailand and Eastern Europe be granted asylum? Sorry - just because they want to live the "Bay Watch" dream doesn't entitle them to violate our immigration laws. They should be repatriated to safety.
3
Decriminalize prostitution. Please!
I believe law enforcement personnel are aware of what goes on in massage parlors, and get paid to look the other way. Then, occasionally, they mount sting operations and investigations and journalists publish reports on sex trafficking, none of which does anything much to help the victims.
And after that, it's business as usual again.
47
Of course law enforcement knows. And... local business owners who have businesses next door. And they report them. Because they have to watch the girls arrive in a van. And the Johns going in and out. And NOTHING IS EVER DONe. EVER. This shouldn’t happen, and yet, it does. Even the landlords approve. Spas pay on time and in cash. It takes about 5 minutes of standing still outside a strip mall to see these places. It’s gross. It’s inhumane. And it operates in plain sight.
7
@David Greenlee..When are the victims going to be responsible for their own actions, after all they are no children!
@Alisha Gorder.
Maybe I'm deluded but I believe sex work is (or can be) a positive, socially beneficial service. I think our misguided laws make it gross and inhumane and exploitative. And corrupting.
1
Such a troubling story. Clearly there’s a rising demand. What do we know about the people who frequent such places?
19
@Martin Blank
Seriously? What do we know about the people who frequent 'such places'?
1
Prostitution is the oldest profession not requiring much qualifications. In societies where women are kept dependent on men typically do not allow prostitution. Prostitution is legal and regulated in Europe, Australia etc. There are guidelines for health of prostitutes and standards for the business. The government picks up good tax revenue and women are not exploited. Many of those who are against legalization are the same ones often caught with their pants down.
14
@Ben Agree! Even with the legalization, there are those who try to evade the rules and regulations by trafficking women who are most vulnerable from other parts of the world. Just more or less.
I disagree. People are still debased. Any time sex is commodified, it’s morally wrong. It debases both parties.
1
The owners of the salons are the guilty ones--more so than the Johns.
26
@Kristine Lock up the disgusting Johns too.
2
As a 43 year resident of Flushing, I can assure you that the sex trade took off with the change in population here. Rarely in the past could I walk to the subway entrance at Main St. without some person shoving a business card in my face for massages. It seems non-Asian men were especially targeted for this. Most recently, this has stopped, but I frequently see women in crotch length skirts and very high boots walking about Flushing. A few years ago, I discovered many "ladies" hanging out on the now notorious 40th Road. This block long street is just west of Main Street. In earlier years, prostitution in Flushing was more limited to 32nd Avenue near College Point Boulevard, a warehouse district. At night, this was a desolate area except for the women. I noticed that one small side street was thoughtfully provided with a mattress on the sidewalk.
13
What we ban, we cannot regulate. Choices have to be made. Would we be better off with a ban, or does that just give us an alibi for when the thing we don't want to regulate spins out of control?
75
Keeping prostitution illegal protects the madams and businessmen who run the business. A downside is that occasionally the laws are enforced against some of them, so they have to create elaborate ownership schemes and hire lawyers so they can escape punishment or shift the punishment onto someone at a lower level. The upside is that they make a lot of money and usually evade paying taxes on it.
Making prostitution legal, with regular health checkups and perhaps unionized employees, puts the illegal businessmen, pimps, recruiters, madams, and immigration law manipulators pretty much out of business. Making it illegal will therefore be covertly opposed by the managers and owners of these businesses, who will contribute to religious organizations and politicians who support keeping it illegal. Similarly, moonshine producers used to tell their customers to vote for people who would keep counties and states dry.
This is not political corruption so much as free enterprise operating normally and treating the law as just another problem for resourceful entrepreneurs to deal with, as the Sackler family did in the pharmaceutical industry.
19
@sdavidc9 Great point. We saw this in CA when many pot dealers and growers openly campaigned against legalization. Suddenly they didn’t care about marijuana research, or relief for users charged with drug crimes. They just cared about getting that green (and I don’t mean weed).
2
Just horrifying! They need to arrest the John's. Why aren't they? Instead it seems law enforcement focuses on the girls who have no choice and are caught in the middle of men forcing them to provide sex and men buying that sex.
284
Criminalizing more and more people isn't the answer.
just make it legal. Then organised crime has no advantage and workers don't need to fear calling the police. They pay taxes. They get holiday pay and maternity leave. They don't get criminal records that level them only being able to do this work because no one will go them for anything else.
Most of the harm reported arises because it's illegal. Make it legal.
15
@terri smith
They did arrest the John's. Not reported in this article but they arrested something like 60 men and only arrested the women in charge of the operation, not the women who were trafficked.
15
@terri smith
In this case, they did arrest them if they were still in Florida. Otherwise they have a warrant for their arrest when they return to Florida (Kraft's situation).
5
Dear Men,
Please police your Gender. Stories like this enrage me, break my heart, and make me wish that I was on a Woman only planet, with frozen semen to reproduce. Only when necessary. I believe, and hope, that the majority of you would NOT participate in this horror. Please, shame those that DO.
Thank you.
127
@Phyliss Dalmatian Stop making it so easy for men. Ever think of that?
1
What you said. The book “Disposable People” should now be mandatory reading.
4
@Phyliss Dalmatian-Isn't the photo below the headline of two women who were the ones doing the sex trafficking?
5
Legalization and regulation are the only workable answers. There's a reason it's called the world's oldest profession - demand.
21
@David
"The world's oldest profession" is one dimension of the myth men (for the most part) have created to justify the purchase of sex.
Despite significant evidence to the contrary, those who support legalized prostitution desperately want to believe the following:
a. a belief that most sex workers enjoy what they do.
b. a belief that most sex workers have chosen sex work among an array of rational choices.
b. a belief that sex workers who are routinely debased, humiliated and abused in the fulfillment of johns' fantasies, are not emotionally and physically damaged from this work.
FYI - here's a definition of "profession." Is this what you meant?
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/profession:
profession meaning: 1. any type of work that needs special training or a particular skill, often one that is respected because it involves a high level of education: ...
2
Trafficking in human persons, for whatever purpose, is abominable conduct that should be prosecuted to the limit of the law. However, there is a bright line between trafficking in persons and engaging in consensual behavior with fully-informed adults, whether that behavior involves sex, using recreational drugs, gambling at cards, or other voluntary activity. Legislating morality for one's fellows has a dark history, and it is hard to justify ethically.
For example, our fentanyl / heroin crisis could be ended in one day by decriminalizing drug use and making supervised injection centers available to drug-seeking individuals. This would also end the violence and fraud associated with drug use, freeing law enforcement to focus on other crimes. Likewise, decriminalizing prostitution would enable proper vetting of sex workers, thereby eliminating or at least substantially reducing the risk of trafficking.
The US experiment with prohibition of alcohol provides a good lesson in what not to do. Tolerance and regulation make a better solution.
15
I do not believe legal sex trade is any less debasing for either party. Sex is not meant to be a commodity.
1
For those advocating for legalizing prostitution, I’m not seeing where that would prevent what’s happening as described here.
1) These women are not being prosecuted as a result of choosing to engage in sex work, as what often occurs. The women interviewed were coerced into it.
2) People like Kraft have the resources to meet with any woman who chooses sex work, even if it’s illegal. Yet, he’s specifically choosing these types of business. Why?
3) The federal and state governments regulate many industries. Does anyone think sufficient resources have always been devoted to regulating other industries? In addition, does anyone actually believe regulatory capture would not occur here by pimps?
63
@BK
The answer to your question #2 (Why?), is because he probably likes it. It’s not so difficult to figure out. Having lots of money does not translate into specific desires.
@BK Legalization would provide more resources, income, and transparency to fight this battle. As well as more ammo to prosecute these owners.
Do you honestly believe regulation does nothing? No, it’s not perfect. But it’s a lot better than what we have now.
What do you think the solution is?
1
@BK
Re: your #2 - this has been stuck in my mind profoundly since I read about Kraft. It is a clear example that something else is going on other than just 'having sex' - which as you note he could fairly easily do with a woman who is a professional and in command of her own business and clients. It points to a need, possibly many other men's need?, for total submission from the other party in order to get off. He was paying for subjugation - that's what this is about. I just don't understand why the power differential seems to be so intrinsically interwoven with "sex" for a certain percentage of men.
2
This unfortunately seems to be one of the results of continuing bipartisan inaction to update our immigration laws. Other nations successfully track visas but Congress refuses to update our laws. Other nations have skills and merit based systems but Congress refuses to update our laws.
President Clinton's Bipartisan Commission on Immigration Reform, led by African-American, Democratic Congresswoman and civil rights icon Barbara Jordan, recommended chain migration reform; elimination of diversity visa lottery; reduction of legal immigration from the then 1980s and 1990's average of 750,000 per year down to 550,000 per year; & stronger enforcement vs illegal immigration. When Ms. Jordan died in 1996, as Congress was drafting this legislation (widely expected to pass), Clinton suddenly yanked his support, dooming reform efforts. We learned later, based on news reports at the time, that Clinton killed reform because of an alleged quid pro quo with the Chinese. Who were providing illegal campaign financing to DNC, via John Huang.
Open borders fanatics like the Koch Brothers and groups like La Raza (whose name became so toxic they were forced to "rebrand" to become "Unidos") seem to have an iron-clad grip on a majority of Congress, preventing any reform. So long as Congress continues to do their bidding and refuses to update our laws, it seems likely this kind of abuse will unfortunately continue.
33
Tightened asylum laws along with mass deportations would go a long way towards helping to solve this problem. This is not the kind of diversity we need.
34
@Rennata Wilson As if sending anyone away, either the culprits or the victims, will end this type of abuse
In most red states like mine, the two big Republican campaign issues are human trafficking and voter fraud, both of which Republicans and their financial supporters such as Robert Kraft are involved in. Donald Trump is one of the worst human traffickers, using illegal employees in his hotel business and, in all likelihood, in his shady modeling agency, which was just an upscale version of a massage parlor.
--If Republicans are campaigning against "human trafficking," it means they're doing it.
--If Republicans are campaigning against "voter fraud," it means their doing it (North Carolina).
--If Republicans are protesting "fake news," it means they're doing it.
--If Republicans are promoting "patriotism," it means they're committing treason.
--If Republicans are promoting "law and order," it means they are violating our laws on a massive scale.
201
@Big Text: in a word, their party platform is hypocrisy.
7
The first step is legalization and reasonable regulation of sex work, and then law enforcement can focus on the "dark corners" of the trade (trafficking and under-age sex work). In an enormous black market these can easily be hidden.
The second step of illegal labor, immigration problems, and underage labor could easily be stopped if the current entirety of resources used to stop free sex-exchanges between consenting adults were applied just to trafficking and under-age prostitution.
Legalization would de-fund the criminal organizations who undertake the trafficking at issue here, and legalization would de-fund the current corruption in law enforcement that helps create the current extensive underground.
See also: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/mar/02/craig-mason/
12
“It has exploded into a $3 billion-a-year sex industry that relies on pervasive secrecy, close-knit ownership rings and tens of thousands of mostly foreign women ensnared in a form of modern indentured servitude.”
Land of the free, home of the enslaved women of the night.
More evidence of how broken our unreformed immigration system is.
‘“There are a great number of folks who are on pins and needles,” Mr. Musca said.”
Last words for the poor Johns in Florida. Hardly the real victims.
26
If we actually had a functional, well enforced immigration system, maybe human trafficking would be prevented or at least identified sooner.
Allowing immigration laws to be freely violated without consequence and throwing up obstacles to legitimate enforcement empowers the criminals who manipulate and abuse these women.
To fight sex trafficking, we have to stop tolerating illegal immigration and we have to allow federal law enforcement to do their jobs.
19
Let’s start with the so called Secretary of States. in Ga until recently it was Brian Kemp who infamously wouldn’t resign during his own election for governor. Thought it was clear he was removing as many potential democratic and minority voters as possible. But let us not forget a major part of Secretary of State job is the licensing of State Licenses, which run from MD to massage licenses. In Georgis one of the issues was that Kemp was taking huge campaign donations from Massage Envy one of the so called legitimate massage chains. They had a couple of male massage therapists who multiple female clients had accused of sexual assault, The police had charged and convicted. Yet Kemp had never pulled their massage therapy lisences so they were free to continue to practice.
Do any of these woman have licenses? Are the salons licenses? I just helped my friend renew her hair salon license, the Ga city she is in now requires her to notarize that if she has more than 10 employees she must run them through the E-verify. Everyone but her receptionist rents a chair. I told her that each had to obtain a business license which is $225-500 and display at their station just like their cosmetology liscence. Or the all have to be at the front door.
So where are all the licenses?
15
@MJS You are inadvertently missing an important point. They already have "shell " companies hiding layers of activity, so a few Massage therapy licenses would just add to the layers. It is the BOARDS OF MASSAGE in the states which fine and cancel licenses, not a governor. The Secretary of State does not do this (although maybe in Georgia is does, which would be odd) - it is usually a totally separate regulalatory agency within the overall State government. There are stringent educational requirements and many legal hoops to jump through for a professional to actually obtain and keep a Massage Therapy License. THIS IS NOT MASSAGE THERAPY. These are "spas", a fluid word which can hide prostitution. I agree with others who say legalize it, call it what it is (it is not massage therapy), so that there are actual laws and rules to follow, and a more straightforwrd pathway to "stay in business" besides buying off immoral pols and enforcers.
3
@MJS Looking - again - at your comment, one does not merely "attain" a business license to display for massage therapy. It costs , conservatively, $8,000 -$15,000 to complete the required training, leading to eligibility to pay another 200$ or so to take a required Exam, and another 200$ or so to file for a State License, which would be issued through a massage therapy board. I can just (not) imagine a slave, and that is what these women (and some men are) having or being provided the funds and educational time to "attain" that. Looking under the massage therapy rock is the wrong rock to look under. These places could and should be easily busted in other ways- the question to ask is why they are not- for example, this one featured is in Jupiter, Florida - Florida has one of the most stringent massage therapy licensure laws in the country . Even counterfeit licenses could be erxposed, as they are all issued with a Number, and those numbers could be run through a data base easily. There is a larger system allowing this to happen.
1
@Marina, the Massage Envy Case in Georgia, involved licensed Massage therapist. The then Secretary of State Brian Kemp had the ability to pull persons felony sexual assault immediately. He did not. it was then found out that the owner of the Massage Envy chain was a major donor of Brian Kemp both as Secretary of State and his Govenor campaign.
In Ga only the Medical board has any sort of independence to speak of.
1
In most red states like mine, the two big Republican campaign issues are human trafficking and voter fraud, both of which Republicans and their financial supporters such as Robert Kraft are involved in. Donald Trump is one of the worst human traffickers, using illegal employees in his hotel business and, in all likelihood, in his shady modeling agency. Among the macho business culture, women are a form of currency and a tool for blackmail. No telling how many "catch and kill" stories the National Enquirer has that involve the Florida massage parlor. I suspect they have a retainer with the parlor. But this much is clear:
--If Republicans are campaigning against "human trafficking," it means they're doing it.
--If Republicans are campaigning against "voter fraud," it means their doing it (North Carolina).
--If Republicans promise to "drain the swamp," it means they're going to turn it into a sewer.
--If Republicans are protesting "fake news," it means they're generating fake news.
--If Republicans are promoting "patriotism," it means they're committing treason.
--If Republicans are promoting "law and order," it means they are violating our laws on a massive scale.
12
1st point:
Ethics/Values/Morality/Decency are middle class characteristics; the poor can’t afford’em & the rich don’t need’em. If decency et al, is the issue then the 1st order of policy is to expand the middle class in both directions (this done @ the expense of the rich).
2nd point:
As prohibition of alcohol in the 1920s taught us, beyond expanding the middle class, you cannot legislate morality. But it also taught us, you can regulate it.
So after expanding decency, by expanding the middle class, as far as you can, then you provide for outlets at the seams. These women are not showing up in Germany because Germany has legal brothels, which are regulated & monitored to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.
The country that usually has the lowest abortion rate has been the Netherlands (currently I think it’s Switzerland). They have a large healthy prosperous middle class almost no homeless people, legalized prostitution.
This is pragmatism. This is “demand side” approach to problem solving. Trying to eliminate the “supply” as conservatives always seem to want to is self destructive & almost always fails.
Let’s start @ the heart of the problem, acknowledging human nature, then our shrinking middle class, our growing inequality, the lack of universal health insurance, economic insecurity & work our way outward from that.
With demand gone the problem of sex trafficking will go to. Then let’s revisit international econ development: expanding the middle class everywhere.
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@Tim Kane
Very well said. Very sensible. Very logical. And certain to be ignored in the armed madhouse we call a country.
25
@Tim Kane
Germany had an increase in trafficking after it legalized prostitution. It’s odd that people are using Germany as a good example of regulating prostitution, when they are clearly not fully informed of what is happening there.
15
@BK
Indeed, prostitution was decriminalized in Germany in 1927.
1
Are we supposed to believe that men like Robert Kraft, John Havens, and John Childs thought there’s women were not trafficked? It just boggles the mind. How did they imagine they ended up at the Orchids of Asia?
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@Njlatelifemom They didn't care. Do you wonder where your waiter or Uber driver comes from or how they live?
4
@Njlatelifemom
I don't understand how a rich man like Robert Kraft found it sexually exciting to enter that dingy, badly furnished spa, and then get excited about the sexual favors he was getting from a $60 massage.
1
It's an ironic name, because orchids from Asia are also trafficked by smugglers.
1
If something is illegal yet generates a multi billion dollar industry in illicit funds, perhaps the question of its illegality should be front and center.
35
Thailand already has a thriving sex industry that is a major financial resource for the national economy. Most of those girls trafficked out of Thailand are probably fully aware that they will be working in the sex trade. The Thai people can thank the USA for their sex industry. Military visiting forces agreements made cities like Bangkok destinations for troop R&R during the Vietnam war. The military still sent troops there even during the Persian Gulf war.
Prostitution and sex is an accepted, normal part of life in that country. When one lawmaker tried to ban the sex trade he was quickly shouted down.
There is a similar story of the USA military establishing a sex industry in the Philippines and on Okinawa, Japan.
17
@Aristotle Gluteus Maximus:
Okay, but this article includes sex slavery. Is that normal and accepted in Thailand?
This isn't simply women working as prostitutes under the guise of giving massages. They're often forced to work with zero pay, they can't leave.
12
Men who think of women as tissue to be used for ejaculatory pleasure then thrown away, apparently have lost all human feeling. As far as I am concerned this is not sex, this is something else entirely, like drunk driving.
Arresting these men and sending them to trafficking education is far from enough to bring about the needed change. They must be forced to make amends and restitution to the women they have so heinously damaged. And to their wives and children, whom they have also deeply hurt by their piggish actions.
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@Terro O’Brien Publish their names and STI status.
6
You degrade and insult every woman who freely chooses to work in the sex industry. These women are intelligent and have brains and most importantly, they have agency. Is there anything inherently wrong with sex? What is inherently wrong with money? Then what is so inherently wrong when you combine the two?
9
@Kerry Welsh
Why is everything always about the women? Protecting women, women's interests, what's best for women. I agree with your comment that portraying voluntary sex work as "slavery" degrades women, but actually even worse is the effect on men, because voluntary participants in what is in fact a mutually agreed upon, free will transaction, anecdotes notwithstanding, winds up in this case with the man being punished because he is a man and the woman being lauded as a courageous victim because she is a woman. That seems even worse to me. Not everything has to come down in the end to showing how something affects "women" badly to show that that thing is bad. Men are also human beings who deserve to be treated fairly.
1
Does this mean that the chances are high that a lot of them masseuses in many of the Asian massage parlors are being trafficked even if they are not being prostituted? Could the NYT please look into that? I have gone to these places for massages and I would like to know whether the masseuses are there voluntarily.
30
@Sarah, don't go.
2
Wait a minute!
How does a poor middle-aged uneducated Chinese woman get a visa to travel to the US in the first place?
Everyone is gaming the system with this “asylum” racket.
Wake up America!
39
@JQGALT It's a tourist visa,replete with fake job, fake family bank acct etc. The idea is that this person will return because they are part of the Chinese middle class and have no reason to become an economic migrant. Millions of Chinese tourists come here every year and then return. The US has a choice of forgoing that income or letting some fraudulent applications get through.
3
@JQGALT....by having a "modeling agency"that gives temp.
work permits.Melania was going to have a "sit down"with the press to explain how she and her parents became residents of our country.Surprise!! that never happened.
3
@JQGALT
Agreed. We should also be asking why the hospitals in Flushing are selling birthright citizenship to wealthy Chinese who deliver their babies in their maternity wards -
5
Print all the filmed frequenters' names.
That will help reduce demand.
26
@Samantha
Shame and blame don't work. If history has taught us anything, it's that a man will risk a lifetime of reputation for a momentary spasm of pleasure. You can't outlaw human nature. All you can do is try to reduce the harm
4
@Big Text What about murder? That's a huge part of human nature. Should be just tax it?
1
This is an opportunity to try to legalize “the oldest profession” as has been done in other places.
Control, tax, and legalize sex work and the enslavement will largely cease.
146
@Anne
Not true. It’s legal in Canada and women are also basically slaves.
How about paying women for work?
20
@Anne If it were legalized how would politicians and elected Sheriffs and Police Chiefs be able to regularly make the evening news and the morning papers with their revelations about the latest "trafficking victims"?
The current DA in San Diego was made head of the "trafficking task force" by the outgoing DA so she would have a grandstand from which to get media attention and thereby easily win her first election.
10
@According to a Harvard Law and International Development Study found that on average countries with legalized prostitution have a greater incidence of human trafficking inflows and when Sweden criminalized prostitution it resulted in the decline of human trafficking. Legalizing prostitution expands the market for both legal and illegal workers.
19
A vast crime network - funded, operated, protected, and/or enabled by friends of Donald Trump, if not he himself.
19
@Jeff Dwyer. As much as I dislike Trump, this can't be blamed on him.
11
This is an incomplete story. Many of these parlors are run by people who are simply trying to make a living and no one is being held against their will. I suppose it's difficult to distinguish the places which are holding people against their will and those where people want to work. If prostitution were legalized as I feel it should be the men and women workers would have a legal place to patronize and no one would need to be demonized for engaging in an industry where there appears to be ample demand but no supply.
10
Look at places where it has been legalized—plenty of trafficking. You just enlarge the market and need more bodies to meet the need.
14
@Kat V. Where is your evidence that trafficking occurs when legalized?
4
@David
A simple google search finds the evidence you're looking for:
https://orgs.law.harvard.edu/lids/2014/06/12/does-legalized-prostitution-increase-human-trafficking/
https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2012/04/19/is-legalized-prostitution-safer/legalizing-prostitution-leads-to-more-trafficking
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X12001453
https://www.trauma-and-prostitution.eu/en/2018/06/19/the-german-model-17-years-after-the-legalization-of-prostitution/
2
Two illegal issues seem to merge here. Prostitution and trafficking in human labor. I've long believed that legalization of prostitution would alleviate abuse and improve public health and safety. But, this article makes clear that mere legalization of prostitution would not address the issue of trafficking.
The nature of the trafficking discussed here is international and highly, criminally, organized. Merely legalizing prostitution would be like giving the keys to the city to Al Capone.
I don't have an answer to these problems, but see they are intertwined. Solving one without addressing both is a fool's errand.
Obviously local police departments have no clue how to address these problems. May I suggest a cadre of social scientists and workers, the FBI, the Departments of Health and State, and a budget analyst take a shot. A political leader with guts and smarts would also be required. Any suggestions?
48
@michael. People said the same thing about legalizing pot, but it didn't help organized crime.
But you wouldn’t be simply legalizing the massage parlors that are engaging in the trafficking so local competition would end the importation of labor, ostensibly anyway.
I want to know how all these Asian women are being brought into our country.
They certainly aren’t crossing the southern border. Perhaps the northern one?
Mainly they are being brought into our major ports of entry like airports. Which also means they are coming in legally with visas. Or if illegally then there is a racket of corrupt agents involved in human trafficking.
I don’t hear our president screaming about this form of immigration.
If we want to stop this form of sex slavery we need to start to investigate the businesses and owners of all spas with predominantly foreign women employees. While I appreciated some will reject this, it needs to raise a red flag with our authorities.
Why would Customs continue to let mainly poor uneducated non-English speaking young single Asian women into our country even with “legal” visas? What type of work are they coming here to find? Who is sponsoring them? These are serious questions that are easily answered because there must be a paper trail, unless of course these trafficking cartels have people high up in our agencies, in their pockets who have a vested interest in supporting such businesses.
This issue can be solved with enough will.
474
@Issy You are correct that thee biggest number of people without status in this country entered with tourist visas and the like, which then expired. Of course, it's lot easier to talk about building a wall along the southern border, because that resonates with people who don't know any better.
I can't say with any degree of certitude the most common means of entry for illegal Chinese immigrants, but over the years I have come to know many illegal Chinese immigrants in New York City and many took the most convoluted paths to get here, and quit a few did in fact come across the southern border---not by foot at night, but smuggled in vehicles as concealed cargo. Some came up by boat (many of those were ill-fated and you can read about them in Times archives).
As far as sponsors, unlikely anyone, rather they are smuggled in and then indebted to their smugglers. Years ago they uncovered a ring in NYC that involved a prominent immigration attorney acting in cahoots with smugglers. Terrible situation, but so much of it, such as these "massage" parlors are all out in the open and dot our neighborhoods, so common, yet, allowed to not only stay open, but proliferate like crazy.
29
@Issy, do you hear anyone screaming about this form of illegal immigration? It seems to be mostly deafening silence across the board, regardless of political party. Other nations successfully track visas. The United States could too. There have been proposals to do just this, but the open borders lobby, such as Koch Brothers-aligned groups or La Raza (now called "Unidos") seem to have an iron-clad grip on Congress.
I did hear a rational national conversation about this matter back in the mid-1990's. Led by African-American, Democratic Congresswoman and civil rights icon Barbara Jordan. When she led President Clinton's Bipartisan Commission on Immigration Reform (aka, the "Jordan Commission"). Ms Jordan: "What the Commission is concerned about is the unskilled workers in our society, in an age that unskilled workers have too few opportunities. . . When immigrants are less skilled, they may pose economic hardships for the most vulnerable of Americans. . . Credibility in immigration policy can be summed up in one sentence: those who should get in, get in; those who should be kept out, are kept out; and those who should not be here will be required to leave."
Ms. Jordan's recommendations were considered common-sense and main-stream at the time, including even by this paper. Now, we have this paper publishing straight-faced arguments for open borders by journalists such as Farhad Manjoo. Strange times.
31
@Issy
Building a wall leaves ordinary Americans unaffected. Going after those who have overstayed their visas means subjecting at least some Americans to identity checks, which violates their rights as Murcans. Going after those who employ illegals means subjecting entrepreneurs to government regulations and interference.
Building a wall is just another way for gummint to waste our money, but otherwise it leaves us alone.
15
Another story that cries out for legalization of prostitution.
You can dovetail this story as to why a southern border wall is a fallacy, because there are so many that overstay visas and are here via fraudulent means. They are not clamoring over or under walls.
Prostitution is the continued subjugation of women, and to legalize it would not do away with the problem altogether, but would dramatically alleviate the problem. Monies could be spent for education, policing and for help with abuse victims.
The recent story of a certain wealthy man seeking ''services'' shows that it does not matter how much money a man has, that he will search out the least resistance to obtaining a girl for his own pleasure.
It needs to change.
20
@FunkyIrishman
Women and children are still trafficked into Nevada where prostitution is "legal". They are still exploited. Legalization is a myth.
41
@Aristotle Gluteus Maximus
Perhaps you are not familiar with Germany. Every town has a brothel. It is highly regulated and monitored to prevent the occurrence of sexually transmitted disease.
Morality is a middle class characteristic. The middle class has been shrinking for decades, so immorality is going to be expanding. witness the decadent presidency of Trump, it’s a reflection of American society.
You cannot legislate morality. You can regulate it, you can constrain its occurrence by expanding the middle class in both directions.
One of the the problems with Anglo-Saxon puritanistic culture is that it thinks you can ignore human nature.
5
@Tim Kane
Germany has had increased problems with trafficking as a result. Using terms like “puritanicistic culture” is just a lazy response for not gaining a better understanding of the issue.
17
Robber Baron Kraft. Converting Cheez Whizz profits into countless millions using undercompensated forced labour. Nothing new here. Think sugar, tobacco, banking, religion, education and everything else. Kraft Banking and Investment Services (2025)?
14
Dont believe the stories that they want to hide it from their families in China. Its just that the pay is better in the US.
11
Mathematically stated; When only person A and B are involved in an interaction, person C's sense of morality has no right whatsoever to infringe on this interaction.
There are women that want to work in this field. They should be allowed to do so, paid according to what the market will bear and taxed accordingly.
The existing situation has women coerced into the sex trade and provides an income to criminals. It is INEXCUSABLE!
8
A lot of fear among clients, who are worried that the police are about to come knocking? At least there's something positive in this sordid story.
47
@Thomas "something positive"? Do you consider this an important use of limited government resources? There is nothing else in New York or Florida you know about that needs the attention of tax dollars?
Super Storm Sandy and enough hurricanes around Florida that I do not remember their names: Everything in your state and Florida must be back to "normal", huh?
1
@Thomas
It's positive that we are pretending that women are not doing sex work voluntarily, so that we can promote the narrative of "men bad, women innocent victims", and upturn the proper pattern of focusing on sellers of illegal things, rather than buyers, because in this case the sellers are women and the buyers are men?
1
We have a serious sickness in our species -- pathological greed. Until we stop admiring, and legalizing via tax codes, those with outsize wealth, we'll continue to be surrounded by and infused with deep and unnecessary suffering.
It's time we move past Puritan ideas that the rich are "chosen" by a supernatural power and the poor are somehow deficient in character. Bezos is not wholly different from these shadowy human traffickers; he collects more money than he can possibly spend while requiring his workforce to endure inhuman and inhumane conditions.
I'm glad law enforcement is focusing on the customers and not giving the usual pass to the obscenely rich. Perhaps the nervous johns will rethink their heedless use of other human beings.
20
Not mentioned in this article is the gigantic Chinese secret police espionage system that has millions of agents and paid informers inside and outside of China. Agents with the power to send families of reluctant recruits to one of the many Chinese prison camps for re-education, where starvation, beatings and torture are systematized. This vast crime network also provides China with a self-financing espionage operation within the network of massage parlors. Deep penetration into the entire US political and economic system.
24
You have to be out of your mind to not like sex but this entire industry is too grotesque for words. The only thing worse is that law enforcement has to treat this activity as a crime (which it certainly is) while there is no legal, health regulated, tested, or verified alternative for this service that requires mutual consent.
The "underground economy" has always been the beneficiary of attempts to criminalize our many vices. I cannot point to one single success story that arose from making bad habits illegal.
5
This has been going on throughout history showing exactly why prostitution should be legalized with all prostitutes getting a medical check up and paying taxes . A cash society allows this type of corruption to exist. It is time for all cash transactions to end. Only debit and credit cards should be used in a modern society. Every individual should be allowed to deposit up to $100,000 in cash and any additional cash should be taxed at 85%. No one should ever have saved more then $100,000 in cash. Members of the police department from these areas should also be investigated. It is hard to believe that these illegal operations are not known by the police. Remember last year police officers were caught for being involved with prostitution in Queens. This has been going on for centuries as they offer protection for free service and cash.By legalizing prostitution in a red light area, disease will be brought under control, police corruption ended and criminals stopped.
6
I have traveled quite a bit and encountered trafficking and prostitution on a large scale in Belgium, and in Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Children in Cambodia walk around tourist areas soliciting sex while adults stand near by. People travel to these eastern countries for the sex industry. The Russian mob is rampant in Europe. It seems as we opened our doors to increasing Russian immigrants, we have more mob activity moving into the US. When I left NYC, Russians were buying into business at a rapid rate. Connect the dots. We have political leaders soliciting these services. We are turning into a third world country.
86
@barbara
"We are turning into a third world country."
To risk playing slightly with your words,
there are only two "world countries."
One is a "world country" politically and militarily and the other is only a "world country" economically, but (I would guess) with ambitions to make it so politically as well.
It should be easy to identify them.
This situation is so abhorrent and disgusting on so many levels that one hardly knows where to begin or what to say except that the fears of a group of wealthy, privileged, entitled males who patronize these establishments are the least of our concerns. As I recall, the FL police investigation and sting that caught Robert Kraft along with several others was begun by an alert health inspector who became suspicious when she noticed suitcases, bedding and a hotplate in the "spa" facility. This is yet another related type of gender harassment and a matter that I'd like to see the #MeToo movement to get behind because it represents another example of the exploitation of young, vulnerable females.
50
@EJ
Amazingly, according to this report, many of the women are middle aged.
9
@Julie Carter
That just indicates some of them have been in forced servitude for a few decades.
1
What is the criminal sentence for the Johns who exploit this illicit operation? Why can’t a law be passed printing the names of the Johns who abuse these women in their local newspapers? If there were no men paying there would be no business, can you please publish an expose describing what kind of personality or character defect in these men drive them to go there?
14
@Juliana James
What kind of personality frequents these establishments? One kind. Male.
And despite your call for shaming men who want sex and feel they have to pay for it, that won’t change a thing. You’ll only be compounding the problem for which these establishments exist already.
The only answer, the only way to protect these women, is to legalize and regulate the activity. The tsk-tsking of men and others of those in the pay-for-sex world works no better today than it has for millennia.
4
@DD She sounds like to kind of woman who cause men to spend more time outside of the house.
@Juliana James As a man, the rationalizations by the other two "men" listed here are laughable. There are legal ways for men to get sex, and there are illegal ways. Patronizing illegal ways, and at the same time exploiting slavery, should be a crime.
Also, as for saying what kind of woman you presume my wife to be is a very unwise characterization of a wonderful woman.
1
In Costa Rica prostitution is legal and well regulated. While a traveler there, I read about a bust in San Jose wherein a " massage" business accepted payment from the customer, thereby breaking the law. The law is that the transaction must be directly between the client and the provider. Every woman in the trade must be licensed and to keep the license must have a regular health inspection. The irony is that this is a heavily Catholic country. Making it legal and regulated in the US would go a long way toward helping these women.
16
How does a wall fix this emergency?
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@Jane K Genuine security at our southern border, using modern electronic surveillance instead of a physical wall, is one part of the solution. The other part is deportation of all who overstay visas or exploit the asylum racket.
1
"The decision by law enforcement in Florida to focus on patrons of the establishments in such a public way rather than the women working there has generated a lot of fear among clients."
But clearly not for Robert Kraft. His smug arrogance about his arrest is so blatant it probably makes Jefferey Epstein proud. I wonder what number "date" he was for the poor woman who was forced to satisfy his dirty old man's sex cravings? Was he her fourth, eighth or thirteenth?
What a classy guy.
I don't doubt that his plutocratic peers like Trump will be sharing laughs with Kraft about this incident even as the other patrons of these criminal establishments (deservedly) face jail time.
43
Tragic and horrific what these women go through. They are the only victims and the johns up to the beneficial owners should all be prosecuted in some way, shape or form.
8
Everyone knows what goes on in these places. Why aren't they shut down? They certainly aren't victimless for the women.
24
This is not that hard to take down/mitigate. Massage parlors are licencsed by state or local authorities.1) stop licensing them or 2) revoke licenses where there is evidence of prostitution. Of course, there is always a politically connected local lawyer representing the parlor. But the truth is no municipality that does not want them has them. A good question for the Times to ask is: How many parlors have had licenses revoked in NYC.
21
About Robert Kraft, the Patriots owner charged in Florida, I am hearing sympathetic statements to the effect he has been a major philanthropist, is a 77 year old widower, and of course must be presumed innocent. Hogwash. His acts of sexual exploitation on the cheap are backed by solid evidence. He’s another absurdly rich man, tan and nattily dressed, a master of the universe, who believes he’s above the law and can do what he wants. There’s no defense for the craven immorality of having sex with low paid girls who obviously are without means or power.
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@Julie B
Yes! Kraft has made a lifetime of profit of of exploiting other people’s bodies/ whether trafficked women or football players.
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@Julie B: Dear Julie: 77 year old people should be able to pay for sex in a reasonably-regulated market. This is no more "exploitation" than is your "exploitation" of those who harvest your lettuce for your salad. I did a lot of rural work growing up, and I have lived where the migrants picked your fruit and asparagus. A lot of dirty and undesirable work supports your existence. There is a lot of work that is dirtier, harder, more dangerous, and pays far less, than sex work.
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@Julie B. You have to wonder why an extremely wealthy man goes to a strip mall for cheap sex when he can pay for high end escorts to come directly to his house. Perhaps he owns these massage parlors. Perhaps the NFL and sex trafficking are sister industries that feed off each other. That is the real issue. How many wealthy leaders of our country secretly fund sex trafficking?
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It surprises, alarms and dismays me that the NYT fails to "get" that Trump's assault on our U.S. Constitution and our very nation is the top story every day. You have a fine opinion article by John Dean today, but that's it for the front page. The Washington Post displays far better news sense about the peril to our nation that is Trump. Please, NYT, stay awake. This is an every day, front-page, political crisis story.
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Two handcuffed women in the photo.
Where are all the handcuffed men who generally organize, maintain and patronize this female trafficking nightmare ?
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@Socrates The handcuffed women were the "madams", not the indentured sex workers. Otherwise, I agree with your premise. I've come to believe the only way to curb these illegal and exploitive businesses is to embarrass and expose the Johns. This is not a victimless crime and Kraft, for just one, had to know that all these foreign women servicing him and others were likely trafficked. He didn't care. Maybe their subservient status is part of their appeal to him.
Is the Times or anybody else looking critically at the claims being made by law enforcement? For all the talk of women acting like "zombies", being driven around and forced to do things at gunpoint, etc., there has been no actual evidence of any of that (that I have heard of), and more significantly, no actual charges of trafficking (look it up---not one). Instead, what we have is good ol' prostitution. Trafficking is terrible, no doubt. But this smells to me like using trafficking as an excuse to shame Johns to discourage prostitution. And where is the discussion of the over-the-top, legally questionable methods (bogus traffic stops, video surveillance that would seem to yield no probative value into any actual trafficking, "interviews" with Johns which we all know were most likely given only in response to police threats, etc.)? Everything law enforcement is saying is being taken at face value. Show me the evidence that these women are being forced into what they're doing, as opposed to finding a way of making a lot of cash.
24
Spot on! If the police haven't come to Frank's door in Wichita and presented him with the evidence for this case in Massachusetts, how could there possibly be any evidence? Especially if he's closing his eyes.
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@Frank S.
“there has been no actual evidence of any of that (that I have heard of)”
There are plenty of places one can find the “evidence” so long as one does not reject out of hand anything that is published as “fake news”. (Did you want someone to come to your house and show you used condoms?) Are you willing to read and accept what others have found doing research as evidence? You remind me of the jurors in the OJ Simpson case: they, too, were not provided any “actual evidence” of OJ Simpson’s guilt, and anything that seemed to suggest his guilt was “fake evidence” manufactured and planted by law enforcement conspiring to convict another innocent black defendant.
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@Frank S.
Maybe get up and leave Wichita if you’re really looking for evidence of reality.
1
Indentured servitude implies that after a agreed upon set period of time, the servant would be free to leave with skills learned and often a set of tools to start their own endeavor. In our formative years this method was used to provide passage to the new world for those who wanted to flee their homeland but had no monetary means to do so. I do not believe this to be the case for these women.
33
That is the model of indentured servitude that we learned in school, but the reality was very different in many, if not most, cases. Indentured servitude was in many cases a form of slavery, and the end of the indenture period could be easily extended in some jurisdictions.
8
I agree. I think what’s happening is rape. We call “lesser” instances or sexual coercion rape. That’s what this is.
24
I lived my first 50 years in NYC and have seen nail salons, massage parlors, and tanning salons in a lot of very unlikely high rent locations
Simple math suggested to me there was no way they were just offering the on menu services.
The next obvious question is if they also paid off cops and inspectors.
314
This trade in sex has been going on for decades. As this article mentions, the U.S. gateway for trafficked women are airports, with LaGuardia, Los Angeles and Hartsfield in Atlanta being probably the busiest sex portals. Many of the massage parlors and holding pens for desperate women (that's what they are, holding pens), are concentrated around airports but also interstate highways that provide direct routes into and out of Canada.
Two things to know about this "business." One is that young American women are caught up in trafficking rings; it isn't only foreigners who are victims. And, two, until only recently, punishment for people involved in the illicit sex trade was almost always directed at the women themselves -- not the "johns" (customers). Local and state law enforcement are now doing a better job of addressing the demand for illicit sex, following the lead of nations such as Sweden, which treats women as prisoners of a harsh, unforgiving system, and throws the book at men looking for liaisons.
The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati (https://freedomcenter.org) has an entire exhibit devoted to human trafficking -- the first in the nation. The exhibit is now 10 years old; the situation hasn't really gotten much better, unfortunately.
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in CA regulation is by city. San Gabriel had two different licenses. One for massage and one for nail therapist. Nail therapists could give foot massage. Foot massages soon began to include neck shoulder back legs etc
Maybe a state wide regulation is what is needed.
Also, in addition to publishing pictures of "johns" , please lets include the type of acts that they liked to pay for!
Perhaps, we should provide ankle bracelets or some sort of chips to people entering the US on tourist visas. The technology is available. And it is not just massage workers who are overstaying their visas, lots of folks, including Europeans are overstaying. And perhaps we need to include pregnancy tests for tourist visas. And include the facial recognition requirement for all those entering on tourist visas.
One realID is implemented in all states, the movement of folks between states will be able to be tracked.
Any regulation of air bnb for illegal activity?
3
No leniency for evil. I'm a Patriots fan. I like Bob Kraft a lot. He seems like a good guy. Give him a fair hearing, and if he really is on tape, throw the book at him.
22
@Edward Walsh
He will get an expensive lawyer , do community service and continue with his behavior.
Wealth does not stop low life’s from their behavior.
12
Make him sell the team
Similar to marijuana, if sex work was legalized and regulated, it would greatly reduce human trafficking. Also, with respect to the immigration aspect, I doubt many of these people illegally crossed the southern border. They came in through legal ports of entry.
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@Jim S
Those who deliberately overstay their education visas often disappear into the general population never to be again accounted for. US immigration policy has been out of control for decades, and yet, our political "leaders" have no ability to control our borders, or the make up of our population.
23
This isn’t sex work. They aren’t usually aware of this when signing up and aren’t getting very money, aren’t allowed to leave (they have their passports taken), and have threats against them if they do.
This is a different discussion. It’s called sexual slavery or rape.
Sex works should only be talked about as people consenting and being paid what They set as the price.
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Apples and Oranges, Jim. And trust me there are plenty of illegal marijuana grows that continue in California. Trees are clear cut, water is contaminated and people are threatened if they try to report it.
Making it legal, doesn’t always solve all problems that occur when something is illegal.
28
Make prostitution legal already. It's never going away, and it works in Europe, with medical check ups and even unions, no pimps, no mama sans, it's a regular job. It would put a serious dent into and could even erase sex trafficking. What's happening here is hypocritical and makes life for women who choose the profession dangerous.
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@Herr Fischer "choose the profession"?...they certainly DID NOT choose these professions, they were lured in by false promises, then held captive until they paid their debts by prostitution so they could buy their freedom and get their passports back. They were desperate and vulnerable women who were lied to, and tricked into taking the bait.
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@Herr Fischer repeating my response to another commenter here:
Germany legalized prostitution years ago - it was supposed to help the women come out of the shadows, be able to apply for benefits etc - and Germany has since turned into a major sex trafficking hub.
Make no mistake: there is so much money involved, draining this swamp is extremely difficult.
If our concern is reducing the misery of these women, the Swedish model ( the BUYING of sex is illegal) seems the best approach so far: https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/outlawing-the-purchase-of-sex-has-been-key-to-swedens-success-in-reducing-prostitution
15
@Herr Fischer
You are grievously uninformed if you think the ‘sex’ trade works just great in Europe. The women are trafficked, raped, beaten, deliberately addicted to drugs, and exploited in public rather than secretly, which is perhaps even more humiliating for the women.
I am a little bit sick of European men calling Americans hypocrites, with all their smug self-righteous and self-serving ‘open-mindedness’ about the sexual exploitation of women. This is just ignoring the true nature of prostitution to rationalize one’s own petty desires.
Just because it has ‘always’ been this way does not make it okay for us to turn from the suffering of these women. Your kind of cynicism would have kept us believing the world is flat, and slavery would still be legal.
16
Tracking down and expelling visa overstays as part of the battle against illegal aliens would have prevented this from taking off.
People that don't have the legal right to be present can't defend themselves. My preference to this conundrum is to prevent people from settling here illegally. Hopefully all the victims can get home to their families in Asia quickly so they can continue with their lives, and the perpetrators convicted and jailed.
20
"Vast crime network..." To go with all the other vast crime networks. Welcome to the USA. No wait, welcome to the modern world.
10
i don't understand how illegal foreign workers can work as therapeutic massage practitioners. In my state, they must complete an accredited two-year certificate course in neuromuscular therapy, pass a standardized test and obtain a professional license including a background check. In your future reporting on this criminal activity, please explain how these women met all the educational qualifications and state licensing requirements to practice therapeutic massage. Also, give representatives of the American Massage Therapy Association, colleges that educate practitioners and professionals in this important healthcare field equal space to distinguish themselves from these illicit, fly-by-night "massage parlor" prostitution operations. In this time of epidemic addiction to narcotic pain drugs, neuromuscular therapy as treatment for muscle pain should be promoted by the medical profession, not smeared by association with sex rings and the abuse of women..
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@abigail49
Reality to Abigail. Declaring something illegal doesn’t prevent it from happening.
12
@abigail49 Everything about these operations is fake. People who can ruthlessly lie to desperate women about how they'll be occupied and compensated doubtless have no hesitation when it comes to regulations and paperwork.
10
@abigail49,
Here’s a link to a local Georgia newspaper that investigated this just last week.
It’s everywhere.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/patch.com/georgia/atlanta/amp/27938613/not-sale-massage-parlors-flourish-georgia
3
How can one begin to digest the horror of these women's lives. Who are we that there are those among us who profit and patronize their suffering. It is clear that the human animal is below the level of nature.
Perhaps it is time, like with marijuana, to legalize prostitution to protect those that have fallen victim to these monsters. It does not correct the reasons behind their slavery such as debt and other forces but this can not continue.
Where are the Evangelicals and other religious zealots outrage here. There is such sickness in the world and yet sanity is attacked by the right.
50
My understanding is that there has been quite a bit of concern about human trafficking on the part of the religious right. This includes former attorney general Ashcraft.
2
@mr
Too many of them are probably patrons of these establishments!
6
@mr for years I have known of many evangelical ministries caring for these victims here in Atlanta. The singer Sara Groves, writer Ann Voskamp and writer Christine Caine work tirelessly to help these victims of slavery.
Another story that cries out for legalization of prostitution.
You can dovetail this story as to why a southern border wall is a fallacy, because there are so many that overstay visas and are here via fraudulent means. They are not clamoring over or under walls.
Prostitution is the continued subjugation of women, and to legalize it would not do away with the problem altogether, but would dramatically alleviate the problem. Monies could be spent for education, policing and for help with abuse victims.
The recent story of a billionaire shows that it does not matter how much money a man has, that he will search out the least resistance to obtaining a girl for his own pleasure.
It needs to change.
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@FunkyIrishman
Yes! Legalize (and regulate) prostitution and drugs as well! We would be able to downsize our police forces or at least give them something productive to do.
2
@Barry Borella The cops will never have anything useful to do. They only ever want to expand their power and numbers - and to get paid huge sums at the end of the day and upon retirement. Right now, thanks to the legalization of marijuana, they are busily trying to create new sex offenses, etc as the big boogeyman to justify their siphoning of tax money (like criminalizing consensual teen sex, etc).
1
You do not legalise murder. You do not legalise theft. You do not legalise exploitation of workers. Why would you want to legalise sexual exploitation of women by men? Are you a man?
2
My heart breaks for these trafficked women. I can only imagine how hard it would be for them to come forward to tell their stories. It will be much harder to prosecute the perpetrators if they don’t though.
Law enforcement is wise to go after the, um, “consumers”. The last paragraph of the article, about all the panicked men contacting their lawyers, is satisfying. What a bunch of selfish creeps - Kraft and Childs chief among them.
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@Cousy "Law enforcement is wise to go after the, um, “consumers”. The last paragraph of the article, about all the panicked men contacting their lawyers, is satisfying. What a bunch of selfish creeps - Kraft and Childs chief among them."
If if it's the trafficking that is objectionable (and not the prostitution) then presumably you feel the same about women who get their nails done in salons that employ trafficked manicurists.
1
@John Smith Agreed, Trafficking must be stopped wherever it's being used to exploit workers. However, doing nails is not the same as being forced into illegal sex work. Don't conflate the two. It may be true that many of the Asian nail techs are in the country illegally, but they aren't being forced into prostitution and the customers aren't paying for anything illegal.
1
@Cousy It's not true that they are "trafficked". The article cites stories and anecdotes but no rigorous statistical analysis and systematic data gathering methods. It's actually wrong that law enforcement is going after the purchasers in this illegal transaction, the proper focus of law enforcement in a situation where one party is voluntarily and of their own free will, which is most certainly the case for the vast majority of sex workers, selling an illegal thing in high volume to make money, and other parties are occasionally purchasing that illegal thing, such as drugs, counterfeit items, weapons, sex, whatever it is, the primary focus always has been and ought to continue being on the sellers. I think sex work should be legal, but a few anecdotes claiming that this or that person had a bad experience no more establishes a general truth about sex work as it would about any other industry. Bottom line is a lot of people are not comfortable with sex work, and in today's misandrist political climate you have to blame men for things rather than women, so we concoct narratives wherein women are always innocent victims and men always the bad guys. The suggestion that we need to pretend that the women are victims here so that men can be punished is sexist.
1