Sex Massage Therapy at Spa: A New Form of Prostitution

Abstract

Sex massage therapy is a new form of prostitution and it becomes one of the commodities in the sex tourism. Sexual service activities carried out under the guise of massage therapies at spa. This condition will disturb security and order. Prostitution is not just a legal issue, but also a moral issue. Sex massage therapy at spa becomes a form of covert prostitution. Activities sexual services are made as if as a medical therapy by taking refuge in the legal business. Unfortunately, this fake spa is untouched by the law. Lack of law enforcement because many women who want to work as a sex therapist and men who want sex services, while according to Article 296 and 506 of the Penal Code they can not be punished. Weak supervision of law enforcement, government and society also become a factor. Even those are that actually provide protection against the illegal businesses. Efforts to tackle sex massage can be done through penal policy (law enforcement) and non-penal policy, namely by increasing the level of economy and education.

Child Sex Tourism: Ambiguous Spaces in Bali

“…The third ambiguous space in which sexual exploitation of minors occurs in Bali are spa massage parlours. Under the guise of the legal umbrella of a spa massage parlour, additional sex services are provided to customers (Wiryawan & Bunga 2018). The massages offered in these ‘spa plus’ parlours by underaged therapists – most of whom are female, though there are also some young men (ibid.)…”

“…Our research revealed two types of recruitment processes: the first involves minors who know that the spa offers additional sexual services, while the second involves minors who are promised a good job in a spa and do not know in advance about the sexual services. In the latter case, the minors only find out once they start the job, at which point they are already in debt with the spa owner (Wiryawan & Bunga 2018, p. 2). Working in Bali's tourism industry offers prestige and economic benefits (Howe 2006, p. 9).…”

“…Spa massage parlours have more discreetness and ambiguity, by virtue of their hidden character and multiple functions, than brothels (Bryant & Palmer 1975, p. 231). The covert form of sex work in spas offers the opportunity for sex tourists to go in without shame, because they are simply going in for a ‘massage’ (Wiryawan & Bunga 2018, p. 3). Tourists may not even always know beforehand about the sexual services provided and might only find out during the massage.…”

The Unknown World of Male Masseurs

“…This underground and discreet activity of male masseurs is unknown to the general public. Thereby sex massage therapy is disguised as prostitution (Wiryawan & Bunga, 2018;Tayibnapis et al, 2019;Matolcsi et al, 2021;Monk-Turner & Turner, 2017).…”