Colorado Springs, a city that prides itself on being a wholesome and family-friendly community, is still grappling with the issue of illicit spas masquerading as legitimate businesses. A city law passed four years ago aimed to shut down these establishments, but KRDO13 Investigates has found that many are still operating, with some even advertising sexual services online.
Little Enforcement
According to the city clerk, no businesses have had their licenses revoked since the law was enacted. KRDO13 Investigates found 15 spas where people claimed online that they had paid for sexual services. The police department uses a website called Rub Maps to track down these illicit spas, which could be fronts for human trafficking and prostitution.
One of the spas, Asian Massage, had online reviews claiming that sexual services were offered. When KRDO13 Investigates visited the spa, the owners denied the claims and showed a business license with the city. However, the spa is licensed under a different name, Lucky Massage, and the addresses match.
Police Response
The police department initially declined to comment on the issue, citing a lack of time. However, after KRDO13 Investigates sat down with Councilman Dave Donelson, the police provided data on the number of citations issued to massage businesses operating illegally. The data showed that all the citations were for license violations, with none related to suspected prostitution or human trafficking.
The police department stated that they prioritize incidents that present the greatest risk to public safety and victimization, such as human trafficking and child exploitation. They also encouraged anyone with information about suspected criminal activity to report it to them.
Councilman Donelson expressed concern about the lack of enforcement, saying that the city needs to address the issue of illicit spas. He believes that the city should devote more resources to investigating these businesses and holding them accountable.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
