PANJIM: Centre for Responsible Tourism (CRT) on Friday said that cross massage is contributing to commercial sexual exploitation of women and girls in massage parlours in the State and that there is a need for amendment in the Goa Public Health Rules/Act. Statistics released by CRT says that 683 girls have been rescued from commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) whereas 171 girls have been rescued from massage parlours/spas for CSE from Goa from 2010 to 2017.
“Today massage parlours/spas have become centres for sexual harassment of female masseur and den for commercial sexual activities. Sexual harassment of female masseur by clients at massage parlours/Spa, and trafficking of girls to massage parlours/spa in Goa for commercial sexual activities is bringing a bad name to Goa,” CRT said in a statement.
The statement further says that NGO Arz as the “nodal NGO” of AHTU has assisted Goa Police in raids conducted at massage parlours/spa in which most of the cases, the rescued girls have reported that, parlours force them to do cross massage, conducting commercial sexual activities and also sending to places outside the parlour to provide cross massage services, to the clients.
“It has been also found during the raids that most of the massage parlours/spas have not been following mandatory provisions laid down in 15 A 1. of the Goa Public Health (Amendment) Rules, 2010, which says that massage parlour/spa should have at least 100 sq ft treatment room with bath and toilet facilities attached. Also a provision for male masseur for massage of males and female masseur for massage of females” the statement further says.
CRT states that cross massage and CSE are interlinked, and to ensure that cross massage in parlors/spa are controlled, there should be separate entry for male and female at the parlours which will help in detecting such cases whereas there should be a sexual harassment committee at the work place.
