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Support for HB 81 — Anthony Talbott, Abolition Ohio (Commerce and Labor Committee, May 10, 2021)

Summary

Letter dated May 10, 2021, to the Commerce and Labor Committee in support of HB 81, which would revise laws governing massage establishments and massage therapy. It is signed by Anthony "Tony" Talbott, Director, for Abolition Ohio, the Miami Valley's Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition, whose membership includes over 30 organizations and 200 individuals across southwest Ohio. The letter states that a national study by Heyrick Research identified over 10,000 illicit massage businesses across all fifty states. It states a search of commercial sex advertisement and review websites revealed approximately 300 illicit massage/spa businesses in Ohio, and that in 2019, a law enforcement operation raided 13 illicit massage businesses in northeast Ohio.

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“Support for HB 81 — Anthony Talbott, Abolition Ohio (Commerce and Labor Committee, May 10, 2021).” Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/2021-05-12-commerce-labor-testimony-hb81protalbottwritten-bb316bf3e0/, SHA-256 c095c095991e4e9969ed19428927163a8d2cb2e25d48d96a13c9612bc4775c6d.

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                                                                                  Keller Hall 453
                                                                                300 College Park
                                                                          Dayton, OH 45469-1425




Representative Dick Stein, Chair
Representative Mark Johnson, Vice Chair

Representative Michele Lepore-Hagan, Ranking Member

Commerce and Labor Committee



May 10, 2021


Support for HB 81, Revise laws governing massage establishments / massage therapy



Dear Representatives;
Abolition Ohio is the Miami Valley’s Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition. Our membership includes over
30 organizations and 200 individuals across southwest Ohio. We work to prevent human trafficking,
protect victims and survivors, and assist law enforcement in prosecuting traffickers.
House Bill 81 is needed because it will help reduce commercial sex and human trafficking (both sex
and labor trafficking) in the state of Ohio. It will empower unincorporated townships to pass
ordinances to regulate massage businesses. Closing the “relaxation massage loophole” will greatly
simplify (and reduce the cost) of law enforcement operations to shut down illicit massage businesses.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Illicit Massage/Spa Businesses are the number
one venue for sex trafficking in the US. In Ohio, which is #5 in the nation for cases reported to the
national hotline, illicit massage/spa businesses are the second most common type of sex trafficking
venue reported.

In 2019, a massive law enforcement operation raided 13 illicit massage businesses in northeast Ohio as
part of a human trafficking investigation. Also, three massage parlors near Columbus were shut down
for suspicion of human trafficking and prostitution. Similar raids have been conducted over the past
few years in many Ohio cities.
This is a major national and state-wide issue. A national study conducted by Heyrick Research last year
identified over 10,000 illicit massage businesses across all fifty states. At the University of Dayton, we
currently are conducting a study of illicit massage businesses across Ohio (to be released this Spring).
A search of commercial sex advertisement and review websites conducted earlier this year revealed
approximately 300 illicit massage/spa businesses in Ohio. A look at media articles from the past few
decades uncovered that over 30 police departments across the state have conducted raids,
investigations, or arrests at illicit massage parlors / spas. And, the rate of these law enforcement
actions has been increasing through the years.

The membership of Abolition Ohio strongly supports passage of House Bill 81 because we see it as a
common sense way to reduce sex and labor exploitation and trafficking. We urge you to support this
bill. I thank you for this opportunity to testify.

Respectfully,




Anthony “Tony” Talbott

Director

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