By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer
Future massage “parlor” in Chicago?
I’ve been posting about Chicago’s zoning changes for massage businesses for the past year. For those unaware, Chicago’s City Council voted to restrict new massage businesses to C Districts (also known as isolated industrial corridors and used car lots). Which makes no sense to my fellow massage therapists, clients, and friends.
However, for some people, the only experience they have with “massage” is when they live or have lived near a “massage parlor” (or what turns out to be a house of prostitution). In that case, I can see why they would want to move “massage parlors” to the same areas as other “adult services,” such as strip clubs, tattoo parlors and the like.
How do you know if a massage business is legitimate? I am providing a few tips and then a method of reporting massage businesses that you think may not be legitimate.
How to Identify Potential Massage “Parlors”
(aka houses of prostitution that front as massage businesses but are not legit massage businesses):
• Often advertise things like “Beautiful girls,” “European and Asian beauties,” “sensuous massage.”
• Advertise on “adult” sites that offer strip clubs or sexual services like the ones I found on a site described as a locator for strip clubs which lists 57 “massage parlors” operating in Chicago.
• Are often open 24 hours a day or have late evening hours (beyond 8pm).
• May employ massage therapists without Illinois Massage Therapy licenses.
• Tend to have covered windows which are not visible from the street.
• Provide “happy endings” or sexual services along with or instead of a legitimate massage.
How to Recognize Legitimate Massage Businesses
• Tend to advertise things like “Licensed Massage Therapists,” “Members of AMTA or ABMP” “NCBTMB,” “Pain Relief,” “Therapeutic Massage.”
• Have ads that do not mention anything about the massage therapists’ looks or clothing.
• Tend to have more standard business hours, say from 10am to 8pm.
• Do not provide sexual services of any kind.
• Will respond by ending a massage session, if the client is sexually inappropriate or asks for sexual services of any kind.
Note: The list of behaviors for legit and non-legit massage businesses is not a hard and fast rule. Some legit massage businesses may have hours later than 8pm and some non-legit massage businesses may advertise pain relief as a way to camouflage their real services. This is a big part of why it is so difficult to prosecute and differentiate between the “parlors” and legit massage businesses.
So what can you do if you think there is a massage “parlor” (aka non-legitimate massage business) operating near you? You can report the business to the City of Chicago. There are two main ways to report a massage business you think may not be legitimate: anonymously or via your Alderman’s office.
Reporting Suspicious Massage Businesses Anonymously
The advantage of this reporting method is that you can be anonymous. The disadvantage is that you don’t have an easy way to track the response and resolution of your complaint.
1. Call 311. You do not need to provide your name or contact information.
2. Provide the name of the business, the address and the reason you believe it is not a legitimate business or that you think the business should be inspected.
3. Check the business operator’s Massage Establishment License status to see if they have a license or if the license has been revoked here.
Reporting Suspicious Massage Businesses Via Alderman
1. Call or visit your Alderman’s office. Tell the staff at your alderman’s office that you want to ledge a formal complaint or investigation into a suspicious massage business.
2. Provide the name of the business, the address and the reason you believe it is not a legitimate business or that you think the business should be inspected.
3. You can keep in touch with the staff of your alderman’s office to follow up on the progress of your complaint.
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Working Well Resources' Blog 
[…] Ward staff and Alderperson. If you ever get into any trouble (suspicious client, police harassment, reporting a suspecting massage parlour in the Ward, business license issues), you will know who to talk to. And they will know you and your legitimate […]
The link you provided to check if the license has been revoked doesn’t work. Can you please update the link?
Sarah,
Thanks for the heads up regarding the broken link. It’s fixed now. The link is https://webapps.cityofchicago.org/LicenseSearchWeb/
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Sue
I do not live in Chicago, but I am looking for information on how to report prostitution taking place in a massage parlor. My friends husband admitted to having sexual relations at a “massage” establishment with 2 women. I suggested reporting them . What is the best way to go about that? They reside in California. I would appreciate any help I can get!
Heather,
I am sorry you have to deal with this but I support you in following through! California is difficult because as far as I know, the state does not require a state license, but MTs in California can be voluntarily certified. And each municipality may have its own business license and requirements. Contact the CAMTC Director of Governmental Affairs, Beverly May at 650-587-5288 or bmay@camtc.org for specific information on what to do in your state. Also check out this link for relevant information about regulations in CA: https://www.camtc.org/Faq.aspx
I hope that helps! Let me know what happens.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Sue
I just moved to a new location and my back hurt so I made an appointment for a therapeutic massage (the sign at the door said therapeutic massage) but when I went upstairs man asked me if I was married.. I said no.. Do he suggested I should have my whole body massaged including my BREASTS and Butt.. Now that was weird! I’m confused. I’ve never heard that breasts ate part of any type of massage. I was really creeped out by him. I don’t know if I should report this “business”?
Sabine,
I am sorry that you had this experience! Most states and municipalities that I know of actually mandate against a massage therapists touching breasts UNLESS you are getting specific work due to a masectomy or other concern with your actual breast tissue and the MT is trained for this type of work. It is common for massage therapists to massage the gluteal area (aka the Butt) if you have low back issues, but massage therapists tend to refer to muscles in this area (gluteal muscles, piriformis) and not use the word “butt.” And for breast massages, again, this is not common, however, if the massage therapist was massaging your pectoral muscles, under your breasts but accessible via massage without needing to touch your actual breast tissue, then that is acceptable.
I am concerned with how the massage therapist presented this to you. Did he say “Butt and breasts” or gluteals and pectorals muscles? If the former, that is not appropriate in my area. If he said the former, that is acceptable. The important distinction is this 1. was the massage therapists using anatomical terms or slang for body areas 2. Was the intention to actually massage your breasts tissue including nipples or just the area above your breast tissue aka the pectoral muscles?
The question about you being married is weird and irrelevant. If you feel that the MT was doing something sexual in the way he spoke and the way he touched you, I suggest you report him/ the business. Write out a complete description of the experience including details of what eh said to you as close to verbatim as you can and described where he touched you in session, if he left you breasts or buttucks region undraped during the massage and any other sexual or creepy questions you recall. Then contact the relevant agency in your area with this report. If they look into the issue and find it was a miscommunication they will let you know. if they look into it and the massage establishment is performing some form of prostitution of sexual harassment they hopefully will take steps to rememdy the situation.
I hope that helps! Thank you for reading and commenting.
Sue
Most of the Asian Massage Parlors in my area have what appears to be a legitimate IL license. How is this possible when the employees speak very little English? How could they possibly go through the required training and testing if they can’t speak the language? Why are the women the ones being arrested for prostitution, but never the “spa” owner?
Donna,
First off, just because a massage business is Asian does not mean it is a massage parlor. If employees speak very little English, they can still provide great massages. I do not know how they get through training and testing, but I do know of a massage school in the Chicago area that offers massage training in Russian. I do not know if the tests for massage therapy licensure are available in languages other than English, but it is possible. That said, it is possible for a massage “parlor” to exist with unlicensed people performing massages. However, if you think a business is a front for prostitution or that it employs unlicensed workers, you can report the suspicious business to the local police and they can investigate.
As to why the women are arrested and not the spa owners, I think that the spa owners are also being arrested or charged with a criminal crime like human trafficking if the business is a front for prostitution.
I hope that helps!
Thanks for reading and commenting,
Sue
Sue
How would I report a Massage Parlor that offers happy endings, in Arizona? I was at one recently, and the business seemed very sketchy… There was only one person working, and I did Not see any licenses other than a business license behind the front desk. At the end of the massage, she offered me a happy ending. Which I declined, and she did not ask again.
Alex,
It depends on the city you are located in. While massage therapists are usually licensed by the state, business licenses are usually handled by your municipality. Check out the city the massage business located in and find out if they have a business license requirement for massage establishments. If they do, that is the place to complain. If they do not, complain to the state.
To complain about a specific massage therapists, go to the AZ board: https://massagetherapy.az.gov/complaint-form
Hope that helps!
Sue Shekut, LMT, LPC
Last May 2016 a client of mine reported to me that her husband was accosted by 3 naked asian women when attempting to buy a gift card for what he thought was my business one block south. I have since reported this several tie to my city hall, alderman and police. Subsquently in July they were busted for prostitution and unlicensed massage workers. The business owners produced licenses after the fact despite the fact they are not displayed in the business to this day, the worker who solicited the officer was fired. They were reopened in less than 2 weeks. I have made several calls since to report that women clients are repeatedly turned away while men are taken same day. They are still advertising on Craiglist and back page using sexy images. my female client went there and said they have half folded sheets up instead of doors. All of this violates the building code statutes for my city. Yet they are still open. I am furious and have concluded that massage licensing laws exist mainly to harass those who want to be legit. This also does nothing to address my safety concerns as a legit therapist one block away who had to deal with men showing up here all hours thinking I am them!
Robin,
I am so sorry to hear you are going through this! It is super frustrating and scary for you.
Many people do not know how difficult it is for legitimate massage therapists when sex workers posing as massage therapists. Many of these massage “parlours” also use women from other countries and keep their passports so they don’t have much choice but to work in these places. It is sad for the women working there, it is sad for you and it is frustrating for anyone trying to receive a legitimate therapeutic massage!
I hope you are able to maintain a healthy business and stay safe while this is going on!
Please keep the faith and keep calling the city and reporting them. Maybe eventually they will pick up shop and move. I wonder if you could bring a civil case in court against this business in some way, since calling city hall and aldermen and police has not done much to protect you.
Sue
how to report anonymously happy ending massage parlor in new jersey.?
Hi Minni,
Your best bet is to check into New Jersey’s licensing laws. It may be based on your city ordinances or county clerks office. When in doubt, you can also call your local police department and make a report or ask them where to go to make a report on a suspicious massage business.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
Sue
Hello I’m if I report an asian massage to the police for prostitution. Do police do investigation before they do the arrest?, if they can’t find any evidence can I get in trouble?
Hi DonVar,
Thank you for reading and commenting on my blog!
If you report to police that you think a massage business is conducting sex work/prostitution, police will investigate. You will have to ask them what happens if they do not find evidence of sex work going in. Also just because a massage business has Asian workers or is owned by someone of Asian ethnicity, does not mean it is conducting illegal activities or offering sex work/prostitution. 🙂