Anti-trafficking advocate Kelli Germain exposing exploitation within illicit massage businesses to highlight the organized nature and severe trauma associated with these operations following recent investigations in Cookeville.
Germain said these operations are often part of larger organizations that use specific keywords or code words to advertise on the black market. Germain said the businesses utilize common communication applications such as WhatsApp, Kik, and Discord to facilitate underground transactions.
“It is a horrific industry, and it’s not just related to strangers being trafficked,” Germain said. “The amount of people that are trafficked by their own family members is also extremely prevalent, especially in these smaller communities.”
Germain said Tennessee Code Annotated classifies any exchange of money to a third party for sexual favors as human trafficking. Germain said victims often face isolation from society and lack control over their own financial earnings or living conditions.
“What we do see, though, coming from a social work standpoint, is it causes a lot of trauma,” Germain said. “These people are often in very real-life domestic violence situations, no matter if the trafficker is male or female, it’s a very harsh industry to live in, it causes chronic and complex post-traumatic stress disorder, and so it just creates a whole lot of issues.”
Germain said many individuals are recruited under the false pretense of better job opportunities to provide for their families. Germain said traffickers prey on the social, emotional, and financial needs of vulnerable people, including runaways and minors.
“A lot of these men and women who experience trafficking and are survivors of trafficking, it takes years of rehabilitation,” Germain said. “A lot of them are addicted to drugs and not of their own accord, sometimes their traffickers get them addicted to drugs, and then that’s a double recovery they have to make.”
Germain said legitimate businesses typically display licensing and use dedicated websites for appointment bookings. Germain said suspicious signs include offers for unadvertised services or requests for extra money behind closed doors.
“I believe that’s all, I would like to say, though, that these men and women and children who experience this horrific event in their life, they’re not always looking for this event, they very much are victims, they very much deserve our patience, our peace, and as many services as we can offer them once they’re recovered from these situations,” Germain said.
Germain said individuals who suspect trafficking should contact local law enforcement or the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation human trafficking hotline.
