Examining Violence Experienced by Sex Workers, the Spatial Configuration of Sexually Oriented Massage Parlors in Los Angeles, and Opportunities for Violence Prevention

• In Event: Land Use Change and Neighborhood Change: Consequences for Disorder and Disorganization

Abstract

Sex work, which puts individuals at risk for violence and health risks, has increasingly moved from the streets into indoor venues, such as massage parlors. The growth of the sexually oriented massage parlor industry is traced to heightened enforcement of anti-prostitution ordinances (making street based sex work more difficult) and because of the internet (making customer searching of workers and parlors easier). Though there has been policy concern around sexually oriented massage parlors and an important literature on “red light districts,” scholars still have inadequate understanding of the industry’s current spatial configurations, the locales in urban environments where massage parlors operate, and violence that sex workers experience. Our study aimed to understand the magnitude of this problem and determine whether land use ordinances might create opportunities to intervene and ultimately prevent violence. First, using geocoded data from a masseuse rating website including businesses in Los Angeles County, we conducted spatial and regression analyses of sexually oriented massage parlor location to test for spatial clustering and (2) identify demographic and economic factors associated with geographic clustering. Second, through in-person interviews conducted with 60 sex workers, we gained insight into the frequency and types of violence that workers in this industry experience. We conclude with recommendations for how zoning ordinance enforcement may help achieve violence prevention in this context.

Authors

• Douglas Wiebe, University of Pennsylvania

• Lois M Takahashi, UCLA

• Yeonsoo Baik, UCLA

• John J Chin, Hunter College