3 FAQs About Illicit Massage Businesses

One of the most well-known forms of human trafficking is the selling of commercial sex within illicit massage businesses (IMBs). It is the second most common type of trafficking reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline1, and most Houstonians can find an IMB within a short driving distance of their home, school, or place of employment. It’s important to remember that most massage businesses in America are not illicit – they employ perfectly legal operations and provide safe and effective treatment for their clientele. We must also remember that not all massage workers at an IMB provide sexual services, and many regular customers would never know that some clients in the next room are paying for sex. But in our community outreach efforts, our team here at Crime Stoppers of Houston is constantly asked about trafficking by concerned neighbors, and this unfortunate reality is very much alive in our city. We have found that many of our community members share common questions about the nature of trafficking and illicit massage businesses within our city: How can you tell if a massage parlor is legitimate or not? This is by far one of the most common questions our team gets. A […]