Court documents reveal women at Southern Indiana massage parlors were forced to perform sex acts for tips - WAVE 3

[Noelle Friel]

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WAVE) - A probable cause affidavit reveals the disturbing details of a human trafficking ring uncovered at two Southern Indiana massage parlors.

After being tipped off about possible prostitution at Eva’s Massage in Jeffersonville, the affidavit states Jeffersonville Police performed three undercover operations at the business.

In one instance, it states an undercover officer was propositioned for sex acts by three different women.

Four victims were rescued from the business and Island Breeze Therapy Massage in New Albany.

The business owner, 62-year-old Xing Song, admitted in an interview with police that the business had been investigated for prostitution before and admitted to telling workers to offer sex acts instead of sex.

Beth White, President and CEO of the Indiana Coalition to End Sexual Assault, said situations where workers are forced into performing sex acts are all too common.

“They are under the complete control of the person trafficking them,” White said. “In the context of a massage parlor, it’s usually the proprietor of the business. Often those people are undocumented - not always of course. They are often in a position where they depend on that particular trafficker for everything.”

According to the affidavit, one woman who worked at the business told police she worked 13 hours a day, six days a week but was only paid when customers came in. The woman said she only received a portion of the massage fee and any tips she was able to make, forcing her to perform sex acts to make a livable wage.

White said traffickers will often exploit their victim’s financial situation.

“They may have documents that have been confiscated. They may live at the facility, so they may not be able to travel or otherwise have any independence whatsoever from their trafficker,” White said.

She said it’s crucial to be able to recognize the signs of human trafficking and alert law enforcement immediately.

“One sign is that a person is reluctant to engage. They don’t have clear answers to where do you live; how do you get back and forth to work or other places,” White said. “Many times, especially in the healthcare context, we’ll see people that don’t carry their own documents.”

In Kentucky, the Bakhita Empowerment Initiative with Catholic Charities of Louisville works directly with survivors of human trafficking and works to educate young people about the warning signs of trafficking.

Director Amy Nace-DeGonda said understanding the manipulation tactics traffickers use is key.

“A trafficker is going to employ whatever tactic they need to to tailor to the individual’s vulnerability,” Nace-DeGonda said. “Whether it’s a vulnerability where they’re having low self esteem or whether it’s an economic vulnerability where maybe they’re homeless or don’t have a lot of money and are worried about paying their bills.”

The Bakhita Empowerment Initiative teaches young people to recognize the different types of trafficking that exist and the resources that are available if they’re in need of help.

“We talk to them about what it looks like to trust someone, what does that mean for them,” Nace-DeGonda said. “What it looks like to have healthy boundaries. What a healthy relationship looks like.

Song is facing charges of promoting human sex trafficking, promoting prostitution, and corrupt business influence.

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