It has been an open secret for years: Mallorca has experienced a boom in Asian massage parlours in recent years, many of which offer sex rather than wellness treatments. A new documentary by the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle now addresses this issue, with the team of reporters even going undercover in such establishments.
During one of the visits to a salon in Palma, the reporter – who was equipped with a hidden camera – was not only offered classic treatments, but also specific sexual services, including prices. In the recordings, an employee can be heard saying: ‘A hand job costs 50 euros, a blow job 100 euros.’ She also suggests ‘booking additional women’ if interested. Small rooms with beds instead of massage tables were conspicuous, confirming the assessment that these establishments are not primarily for relaxation.
A woman who used to work in one of the salons and whose voice was altered in the German TV report for security reasons describes systematic abuses. She reports that employees repeatedly suffered physical assaults and that there were cases of rape that were not reported to the police. ‘If you try to hide money from them, they beat you,’ she says in the report. She also says that women were sometimes locked up and raped as punishment.
Despite the evidence, the police in Mallorca find it difficult to take action against this type of exploitation. Although prostitution is not illegal in Spain, it is largely unregulated – there is neither a uniform legal basis nor clear labour law standards. The sale of sexual services is permitted as long as it is not organised by third parties. However, as soon as third parties – such as massage parlour operators – profit from it, it can be considered forced prostitution or human trafficking.
NGOs call for more prevention
Aid organisations and social workers emphasise that short-term closures of establishments alone will not solve the problem. They are calling for stronger protection concepts for those affected and more prevention work. They are also calling for greater legal clarity so that women do not refuse to testify for fear of reprisals.