Illegitimate massage parlors have been propping open in many countries around the world, the United States being one of them. According to Polaris, there are more than 9,000 illegitimate massage parlors in existence just in this country, making an annual revenue of about 2.5 billion dollars.
Looking at the state of Illinois in particular, there are about 300 of those parlors with around 20 in the Peoria and Tazewell counties.
Most of these illegitimate massage parlors can be easily spotted by blackened out windows, staying up at odd hours, new women coming in to work every other week (or month), being able to enter only if you buzz in or the door is always locked, etc.
Not surprisingly, there are three parlors around Bradley University itself that fall under all these described features.
“I am not sure how I feel about these parlors being here just cause I know I won’t be venturing out when it’s dark without someone else with me,” said Jocelyn Anaya, a junior pre-law major.
Another student had other thoughts when asked how they felt after knowing about these parlors being in such close proximity to campus.
“I don’t think it’s safe at all, especially because I live very close to one of those parlors and I see them open at like 2am sometimes,” said Sam Kuhlmeyer, a senior television arts major. “Other than the fact that I have seen women looking out the window occasionally, I wouldn’t think anyone was preying on students or anything.”
The areas that these illegitimate massage parlors are located in are technically covered by the City of Peoria’s police department and not by the Bradley University Police Department.
“I have heard of these parlors and even pass by them on my way home but I don’t think there has ever been complaints before from students regarding them, that’s been brought up to my knowledge,” said Chief Joschko, Associate Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police in the Bradley University Police Department. “I think the investigation of these parlors will definitely depend on the situation that comes up as each time we face something serious like this, we deal with it differently on a case-by-case basis.”
One of the biggest concerns today and in this case is safety.
“With all the patrolling the police department does, you think that they would have definitely smelt something fishy going on in these illegitimate massage parlors, hence it confuses me why they wouldn’t check it,” said Sierra Doss, senior television arts major. “It could just be me but I would not think it is ideal for a university campus to be so close to places like these just because of the danger that surrounds them.”