Officials pass measures to curb illegal massage parlors in Fairfax County

Officials pass measures to curb illegal massage parlors in Fairfax County

Fairfax County is cracking down on illegal massage parlors and the sex-trafficking operators who often run them.

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - Fairfax County is cracking down on illegal massage parlors and the sex-trafficking operators who often run them.

What we know:

New rules take effect Wednesday, changing how these businesses can operate. Police say the regulations target controlled entry practices that keep illegal parlors hidden and hard to inspect.

On Tuesday night, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to approve the ordinance, which bans locked doors, buzzers, covered windows and concealed access while a business is open. The measure also prohibits sleeping quarters and sexually suggestive advertising, and requires owners to disclose past violations.

County leaders say the changes are about protecting trafficking victims. But legitimate massage therapists, many of them women working alone, argue that locked doors are a safety tool.

Big picture view:

According to the nonprofit Reset 180, Northern Virginia has more than 550 illicit massage businesses, including more than 260 in Fairfax County. Supervisors have asked the health department to report back in 18 months on whether the crackdown is making a difference.