“Masseurs” are still offering sexual services on classified websites, with full sex being offered for fees as low as €30.
After a police clamp down some years ago, “sexy massage” adverts had all but disappeared but a good number of adverts have cropped up again. Most of them do not give many details but an exercise carried out by this paper yesterday proved that these are, in fact, prostitution services.
The Malta Independent phoned two “massage parlours” listed on a classifieds website and the results were not surprising. One of the online adverts was for a “massage by a shemale in Marsaskala.”
A journalist called the provided number and the person at the other end of the line immediately confirmed that he was willing to do everything. The “masseur” said he was willing to offer oral sex and full-on sex, all for €30. The sessions are held at clients’ houses.
Another advert read “4hands 2 girls massage...mmm!” When we called the provided number, a young-sounding lady with an Eastern European accent answered the phone. She would not give any details over the phone when asked if the girls provided anything “extra” but insisted that we should visit their St Julian’s apartment to find out. “Are the girls nice?” we asked. “Yes they are very nice. We even have girls from Malta. Nice young ladies.”
When asked if this would be an ideal place for someone with “a dirty mind” the girl said “maybe.”
Professionals say their reputation has been tarnished
This paper yesterday spoke to Mary Vella, of Elisir Health and Beauty Salon, who insisted that illegal “massage parlours” are harming the beauty industry and legitimate operators. “They are doing irreparable harm to this industry. Everyone is putting us in the same basket. They think we are all prostitutes.” Ms Vella said a good number of men turn up at her beauty salon each month, taking it for granted that all massages have a “happy ending.” Many of them end up walking out as soon as they realised that the salon does not offer the kind of “services” they are seeking.
“They are portraying a bad image on the beauty industry. They are also breaching ethics and laws. Who are they renting these parlours from? Do they have the necessary permits? Do they pay VAT? Are they issuing receipts? I think not! It is high time the authorities started clamping down on these illegalities.”
Young beauty students are also feeling the brunt of this illegal trade. “There were many young students who were forced to stop studying by their partners for fear that they would be dragged into this disgusting practice.”