New ordinance cracks down on unlicensed massage parlors in Dayton

DAYTON — Dayton City Commissioners are cracking down on unlicensed massage therapists and massage businesses that may drift into illegal activity.

The new ordinance, just approved by commissioners, came about at the request of the Dayton Police Department and gives police new tools to fight prostitution and human trafficking.

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“The massage parlors that are involved in illegal activity do not hire licensed massage therapists,” John Muston, City Attorney, said. “In fact, a lot of these people are sex trafficked in, there’s no way for them to get a license.”

Musto said the ordinance prohibits anyone unlicensed for medical massage by the state from giving massages for compensation.

The law also prohibits businesses from employing workers who are not state-licensed. The law considers either of those things has a community nuisance and allows the city the ability to attack the problem through civil courts.

Dave Drake, of the Dayton School of Medical Massage, told News Center 7′s Mike Campbell that he supports the ordinance.

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“The practice of unethical massage kind of delegitimizes the work of licensed massage therapists,” Drake said.

News Center 7 reported on a massage parlor in a Linden Ave. shopping center nearly two years ago. It closed down after the manager was accused of promoting prostitutions and running a brothel. The manager was convicted on one count of promoting prostitution.

The new ordinance is expected to help police more easily deal with prostitution-related businesses like the one on Linden Ave.

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