On 7 December, news broadcast the documentary “Massage salons” about pimping and human trafficking in Norwegian Thai massage salons. The Brennpunkt documentary showed that sex is sold at a large majority of salons. Around 300 women travel between at least 80 salons in Norway. It indicates organized activity. In several cases, mothers have recruited their daughters into the industry. This is how we have worked – this is what we found Since March 2021, news Brennpunkt has surveyed the Thai massage industry. The main method has been observation. We have followed the activity in the salons from the street, we have followed advertisements online, and we have followed other activity in social media and online forums. We have called around 100 massage parlors to check what they offer. We have also filmed with a hidden camera inside selected salons in Bergen. We have collected information from 1451 advertisements from Norway’s largest sex and escort website. Including 13,716 pictures. We have mapped all companies that do Thai massage in the Brønnøysund registers. 851 companies in total. This is what we found: A large majority of massage parlors opened to sell sex. In Bergen, where the investigations have been most thorough, we received sex offers from 75% of the salons. More than 300 women travel between different places in Norway to earn money in massage parlors. 80 salons scattered around Norway have various sex advertisements attached to them, and appear to be brothels for traveling women. We have found several cases where daughters and mothers work together, possibly working in the same industry, and sell sex. The Church’s City Mission believes that the women often did not intend to become prostitutes, but a lack of language and social understanding means that prostitution is perceived as the only way to survive in Norway. The police fear that many women are exploited to a greater or lesser extent in the massage parlors. Fear of human trafficking – It is good that the spotlight is directed at these challenges. The information will be able to contribute to an improved knowledge base for the police, says section chief John-Magnus Løkenflaen in the Norwegian Police Directorate (POD) to news. He believes that what has been uncovered is worrying. – However, POD cannot give a concrete answer as to how the situation is in the individual police districts. The individual police districts must answer for this. CONCERNED: Section chief John-Magnus Løkenflaen in the Norwegian Police Directorate. Photo: Hanna Hiim Sindre / news The police fear that pimping in the salons can hide even worse crime, for example that women sell sex under duress. All police districts have employees with specialist knowledge of human trafficking. – But in all types of investigation where the police have to seek out the crime, one can ask whether we are able to do enough. The police districts are challenged in terms of capacity, says Løkenflaen. A complicating factor is women who travel, especially those going to and from abroad. 27 percent of the Thai masseurs news Brennpunkt has identified are Swedish citizens. Others are Thai citizens, but have lived in Sweden before coming to Norway. Controlled 13 salons In the autumn of 2021, Swedish police campaigned against people who were behind 13 massage salons in the Gothenburg area. The main woman was sentenced to three years and three months in prison for serious pimping. A Swedish male helper received a one and a half year prison sentence. At least 57 women worked in these salons. Several of them went to Norway after the action, according to Swedish police. They assume that they now work in Norwegian massage parlors. Police Commissioner Kajsa Wahlberg in Stockholm is currently finalizing a report on organized prostitution in the Nordics. – There are approximately 2,000 Thai massage parlors in Sweden. We estimate that 80 percent drive recklessly. The figure could probably be higher. In the case of arrests, we have been told: “Why did you just take us? After all, everyone is doing this,” says Wahlberg to news. Buying bags and shoes The women who make a living selling sex are primarily driven by getting money for themselves and their family, according to Wahlberg. Much is sent home to Thailand. WANT TO COOPERATE: Police Commissioner Kajsa Wahlberg in the Swedish police calls for closer cooperation with Norway. Photo: SVT – It can be difficult to follow the money. Unity is strong in Thai families. Money goes there, also to children in Thailand who go to school. Sometimes the money is spent on exclusive bags, jewelery and watches that are taken out of the country. – Bags are a big thing, shoes too. They travel abroad with the goods and sell them in their home country, says Wahlberg. A great many women have accumulated debts to other women in the Thai community, either through loans or gambling. Equal problems Wahlberg wants closer cooperation across borders. – We propose a deeper survey. It may be good to look at the Thai massage environment in the Nordics as a whole. Many of the same issues are repeated in the various countries. The Norwegian Police Directorate will look at possible measures in collaboration with the police districts. And they are happy to cooperate with the Swedes. – Human trafficking is a social challenge which the police take seriously, and which the police must work together with other actors to combat, says Løkenflaen. Do you know anything about this?Some people sell sex of their own free will. Others are exposed to a greater or lesser degree of coercion. Do you suspect that someone is involuntarily involved in the sale of sex? Then we would like to hear from you. If there is anything else we should know about the topic, please get in touch. We treat all tips confidentially. If you suspect something criminal, you can also call the police on 02800. What happens behind covered windows? For two years, Brennpunkt has surveyed an industry where customers expect sex.
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The police are concerned about prostitution in the Thai massage industry – news Vestland
