But erotic services, including prostitution and solicitation of prostitution remain illegal in San Francisco and across California. The recently released report states that nearly cases of human trafficking were reported in the city in Regarding massage parlors, the report notes that not all of the massage businesses advertising online are necessarily involved in human trafficking, but that San Francisco Department of Public Health inspections at massage parlors in the city reveal indicators of human trafficking.
Those indicators include locked doors and illegal, on-premise living quarters. The report also notes that locked business doors could be indicators of commercial sex activity and not necessarily human trafficking. Upon going to Backpage. Last month, Backpage.
In San Francisco alone, there were 47 listings posted on Friday to Backpage. Many of the San Francisco massage businesses advertised on Backpage.
Despite advertising on Backpage. Employees at both businesses refused to schedule appointments and discouraged waiting around for the next open appointment. Both businesses had front doors locked to the public that required the customer to ring a bell for entry and both had multiple surveillance cameras aimed at the doorway. Thailand Spa advertised on Backpage. In , the San Francisco Department of Public Health reported conducting inspections of massage parlors and issued violations. While the majority of violations were regarding unsanitary conditions and unlicensed practitioners , there were 53 for prohibited living quarters and 31 for locked doors posing a safety hazard.
No human trafficking arrests were made as a result of the inspections, but 12 massage establishments in the city did receive suspensions. The report doesn't name the establishments suspended or cited. The San Francisco police department's Special Victims Unit participated in 35 massage establishment inspections last year, according to the human trafficking report.
