ST. LOUIS – A Polaris study of 32,000 cases of human trafficking in 2017 found massage parlors accounted for 2,929 of those cases. Human trafficking is often not what most people think. Girls aren’t being kidnapped. They are coming to the United States from other countries and being forced to work at illicit massage parlors. The raid on Jupiter, Florida massage parlors brought the issue to light when Patriot’s owner Robert Kraft along with many others was charged for receiving sexual favors at the massage parlors. The Missouri Attorney General says it is happening right here as well. Eric Schmitt is promoting awareness about the problem and promising to investigate any calls that come into his office’s human trafficking hotline. The Polaris study shows how to recognize the differences in legitimately licensed massage therapists and illicit massage parlors who offer sexual favors. A St. Louis man called the police when he said he went to the Orchid Day Spa on Watson road near Webster Groves. He claims the woman gave him a massage and then touched him inappropriately. The woman was arrested.
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