The City of Gresham, Oregon, has effectively tackled the issue of illicit massage businesses through new regulations put in place last fall. Community services manager Jessica Harper noted that these businesses often serve as fronts for commercial sex operations. As a result of the city’s efforts, seven such businesses have been shut down in the past year, with no new illicit operations reported.
The regulations, which require massage businesses to obtain specific licenses and undergo in-person inspections, have made clear distinctions between legitimate establishments and illicit ones. Recently, city council further strengthened the regulations to prevent new massage businesses from opening at former illicit locations for three years and barred anyone involved in illegal operations from obtaining a business license in the future. The code was also expanded to include reflexology businesses, addressing a loophole that previously allowed some illicit activities to persist.
Owners of legitimate massage businesses, like Alta Ulrich of Hive Recovery Collective, expressed gratitude for the city’s proactive stance, emphasizing the importance of ensuring that massage practitioners are properly licensed. Harper hopes that other cities will follow Gresham’s lead in addressing this issue effectively.
