Ordinance Reform

Traffickers thrive in poorly regulated environments.

Whether it’s outdated legislation, trivial deterrence measures, or limited resources for oversight, traffickers in the illicit massage industry are doing business with minimal risk in the marketplace. If we want to disrupt their bottom line, then we have to reform the regulatory environment in which they are operating.

We reviewed massage ordinances from cities around the country and conducted interviews with police departments, city councils, and code enforcement officials to find the common elements in jurisdictions that have successfully deterred IMBs from operating there.

Download Factors of Successful Massage Ordinances

“The Network was an incredible partner as we built our statewide program to combat illicit massage businesses in Missouri. With their guidance and assistance, we were able to close 45% of our state's IMBs in just 9 months. We could not have done it without them.”

Alison Phillips

Former Director, Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, Missouri Attorney General’s Office and Co-Founder of The Human Trafficking Training Center
Who We Partner With

Our partners include local, state, and federal law enforcement, regulatory authorities, anti-trafficking service providers, and community-based organizations. We believe an effective approach to counter-trafficking requires a network of partners with diverse strengths. As retired four-star General Stanley McChrystal once wrote, "To defeat a networked enemy we had to become a network ourselves."

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