Extras available from ‘massage parlours’
Above some of the city’s most iconic shops or nestled alongside offices in busy commercial premises, often the only indication to the passerby that massage is offered within is a small nameplate positioned at the bottom of a flight of stairs.
While many people climb those stairs in the expectation of a straightforward massage, many others expect — and in many cases receive — more than just a stress relief treatment.
In the boom, it was high price prostitutes charging €150 for half an hour of whatever sex the punter required.
Now that the money has flowed from the economy, men are turning to apparently legal massage parlours where they are able to sate their sexual demands for a fraction of the price.
Massage with “relief” is not advertised above their doors. But in a large number of these locations, a request for sexual satisfaction once the punter is on the treatment table is not turned down.
An Irish Examiner investigation has found that in Cork alone, there are numerous massage parlours with addresses in the heart of the city centre offering “hand relief” at the end of their usual service. An extra €20 is usually all that is required.
Men are flocking to message boards to seek advice on which of the massage parlours offer the service and for the cheapest price.
For the most part, the women who are offering the sexual services are Asian, speak English only haltingly, and are operating out of premises which, while dingy, are in most cases very close to urban centres.
The advertisement of any sexual service on a website hosted in this country is illegal so no advert for a massage parlour will openly confirm the fact that the sexual service is an option.
However, men will ring the number and simply ask if “extras” are on offer. They may not get an explicit answer but will be given an indication that, once they arrive at the parlour, they will be able to get more than the advertised massage.
The result is ideal for the men. Everything is behind closed doors. They are not going to receive a visit from gardaí for soliciting sex — it is not illegal to have sex for money. All for just €50 without fear of reprisal.
However, the proliferation of these parlours is raising the spectre of trafficking.
Therefore legitimate sites such as gumtree.ie have unwittingly becoming one of the first ports of call for men seeking the discounted sexual service.
In 2009, this newspaper reported that in a number of cases, men and women advertising on gumtree.ie were willing to confirm over the phone that they would offer “oral or hand relief” as “extras” in addition to the massages.
When the true nature of the services were notified to Gumtree, it said the advertisement of sexual services was against its posting rules. “Ads in the massage services section of Gumtree must include relevant qualifications and state that they are not offering a sexual service.”
However, three years later, many of the mobile numbers listed under the massage section will lead to a sexual service if the right question is asked.
In one case, what was on offer appeared clear from the advert itself with the last line reading “extra” time available on request after the price list.
When the number was rung the woman confirmed that the client could talk to the girl giving the massage about the services on offer.
In another case, a woman in Cork wrote that she was looking for a job in massage, that she had two year’s experience and that she was available at most times.
When this number was rung in February, the woman said the service was €120 for an hour with massage and “whatever else you want”. She also confirmed hand relief was available.
The details of these calls were reported to Gumtree and it replied referring to its Business Services policy page and the section dealing with massage which read:
“All massage services ads on Gumtree must:
* “Have no photos (business logos are fine);
* “State: ‘not a sexual service’;
/ “State professional qualifications (accreditation, certificates, diplomas, work history etc). You must include the level of the qualification, the awarding body/where it was achieved;
* “Must not specify unnecessary details (such as body type, race, age, sexual orientation/preference etc).
“Please note ads that are for ‘Tantra/Tantric massage’ are not allowed on Gumtree.”
However, the ad from the African woman was still on the site earlier this month.
It was clear the woman was now aware of what she could say on the phone.
This time when asked if “extras” were available she said: “When I see you, we will talk about it, OK?”
Another Gumtree advert published last week was for a “nice relaxing and deep tissue full body massage by pretty girl qualified fantastic relax massage”. The prices given were €50 per hour, or €30 for half an hour.
She said it would be €50 to finish “in a good way” and confirmed that for €70, she would provide oral sex with a condom.
Gumtree is not the only place where these ads appear. In fact, there are many more offering thinly disguised sex services on sites which are definitely not as vigilant as Gumtree.
In the listing for one woman advertising massage in the “health and beauty” section of add.ie, it states that massage is offered at a prominent city centre address in Dublin.
However, it even adds. “happy end only €20, and more services we talk when you come here. * just no sex services.”
During a phonecall to the number, the woman confirmed “hand relief” was not the only “extra” on offer. “We do other things,” she says. “You should bring much more [money],” before giving detailed instructions on where to find the parlour.
Just like any other city or large town, there are, of course, ample legitimate massage establishments providing only the health treatments which they advertise.
Sadly these businesses are having to deal with the stigma created by the influx of the other operations, fielding calls from men looking for the services which are being offered there.
The Irish Massage Therapists’ Association has previously sought greater regulation of the industry to drive out the unseemly stigma which these other services are bringing to their business.
Read more here about Ireland's growing sex industry.
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