Woodbury Targets Prostitution By Massage Therapists

Instead of a costly and time-consuming undercover investigation into possible prostitution by a massage therapist, will soon be able to walk in and ask to see a license.

Over the past two years there have been increased complaints about prostitution at massage shops in Woodbury, Public Safety Chief Lee Vague said.

In response, the city plans to enact a new ordinance that would require massage therapists to be licensed with the city.

“It’s necessary,” Vague said. “It’s a problem that’s not going away.”

The Woodbury City Council on Thursday was set to approve the measure, which would include license fees, but after hearing from those in the industry who said they would like more time to provide input and tweak the ordinance, council members opted to table it.

Gigi Decker, a Woodbury massage therapist, said she only heard of the proposal on Wednesday and asked for more time to review it and provide feedback, as did Massage Envy owner Gary Meyers.

It will likely come before the council again next month.

Even after a lengthy investigation, it’s often difficult to prove a business is engaged in prostitution, Vague said. It’s easier to charge individuals—a business can always say a masseuse was acting alone.

Still, Vague pointed to a business that was recently shut down, only to see it pop up in another location under a new name.

The ordinance would help police and the public better distinguish legitimate businesses from those offering more than just massages, Vague said.

Because the state does not regulate massage therapists, that responsibility falls to cities.

Jeremy Miller, a representative of the American Massage Therapy Association, said he’s seen plenty of similar ordinances in other cities, and while there are a few things that could be changed with Woodbury’s version, overall it looks good.

“You’ve done what seems like a really bang up job,” Miller said.

Vague said the ordinance would help the city regulate massage therapists on the front end.

“We have no qualms with the massage therapy business,” he said.

Woodbury staffers researched other cities’ massage therapy ordinances and came up with the following proposals for license fees.

Massage therapy business license:

• Application Fee: $300
• Investigation Fee: $300
• Additional owner/new officer: $100
• Change in on-site manager: $75
• Amendment to license: $75
• Annual renewal business license: $150

Massage therapist license:

• Application Fee: $100
• Investigation Fee: $100
• Annual renewal therapist license: $50