Mayor's Task Force on Human Trafficking - September 20, 2014 - Meeting Minutes

Massage Parlor Committee Notes 9-19-14

Minouche

Mike Dudoroff

Sam Forto, SJI

Kalish, SJI

Carol Leigh, Bay Swan

Cristy Dieterich, DPH, 

Ed Walsh, DPH Inspection of Massage Parlors

Agenda – 

SB 1193 Update – 90% of posters of up;

Bars and adult establishments;

DPH – really short staffed and feeling overwhelmed;  adding additional work would 

create tension between managers and staff.  Then having a more work.

In local ordinance – will include enforcement of poster

DPH working with Katy Tang’s office on implementation of state legislation, which 

gives control back to city to enforce regardless of certification of masseuses and can 

now go through conditional use of massage parlors and now reps from DPH and 

Human Trafficking on Board.  Rules on attire and locked doors.  Will meet with 

inspectors and wider DPH to take into account public health support to 

victims/people working in establishments.  Goal to have it done by January.  (Or if 

could be done by April 1 – which is when licenses are sent out.)

Right now – SJU only getting into a handful of the massage parlors – only 

Vietnamese, bu thaven’t gotten into Korean ones.  

Carol – try to get input from individuals who work in the establishments to give 

input.   Katy Tang’s office will be sponsoring the legislation.

Suggestion – to involve attorneys who represent massage parlors; 

SJI starting outreach in beginning of October;

St James brochure – is what is given out; doesn’t make sense for someone else to 

give it out;

Experience in healing work – safer practices; treating work respectfully; gift bags – 

things around self-care; -- 

Referral cards that SFPD uses; signs of human trafficking; 

A card that includes what is trafficking; and here are services; 

The term “rights” doesn’t resonate with someone who doesn’r have a concept of 

rights – it doesn’t have a translation; 

Something on the card that addresses immigration status – that it is not important; 

not a barrier to accessing services; 

Is this happening to you? (avoid “rights” and “trafficking”)

Working to pay off a debt?

Are you free to leave?

(Out of all massage parlor inspections – estimate that 25% are trafficked; but only a 

handful 2-3% have contacted);   

Cyndy – mtg with Mayor’s office on economic support; on vocational opportunities 

for persons in massage parlors; 

SJ outreach – materials are not so important – it’s the one on one relationships; it’s 

helpful to have the St James cards; have escorted them down to clinic; It’s hard to 

say how hard they are getting into the written material.

SJ can ask – what kinds of materials might be effective;

Massage parlor workers did not always want to talk to advocates at the time;  

No arrests or citations of workers (unless worker doesn’t have a license);  

Perhaps using female inspectors; 

Enforcement is separate from outreach; 

Perhaps – if there are complaints provide to community and do separate outreach; 

Broader lens – exploited; other services

Can’t make enforcement into social work piece.

Visit about 6 parlors per shift; only going to Vietnamese – trying to  go twice per 

month; (bring the girls without permits on weekends because they know that DPH 

doesn’t inspect then);  - where there is an established relationship;

Need outreach workers who speak the language; 

For HT victims at New Comer’s 95% were labor trafficked; 

Life Interrupted book.