Y'all might find this article interesting, considering it is based on the women who work in spas and parlors in Houston. Not judging, just sharing it with fellow hobbyists and providers.
http://www.texasmonthly.com/2010-04-01/feature3-1.php
- Sir Hardin Thicke
- 04-01-2010, 03:02 PM
- Mojojo
- 04-01-2010, 04:40 PM
You've already posted this before so why post it again?
- dearhunter
- 04-01-2010, 04:55 PM
I thinck he is selling subscriptions to the magazine.
- blowpop
- 04-02-2010, 01:51 PM
I think the article's worth reading.
The issue is the elephant in the room that AMP fans look past - are the women there of their own free will? We've discussed it to death, and each of us has to draw his own conclusion about whether or the staff of a particular AMP are employees or slaves.
Personally, my conscience keeps me far away from AMPs. I have no idea whether or not a particular AMP takes part in human trafficking, but I know which side I'd rather err on.
The issue is the elephant in the room that AMP fans look past - are the women there of their own free will? We've discussed it to death, and each of us has to draw his own conclusion about whether or the staff of a particular AMP are employees or slaves.
Personally, my conscience keeps me far away from AMPs. I have no idea whether or not a particular AMP takes part in human trafficking, but I know which side I'd rather err on.
- bigmarv
- 04-02-2010, 03:50 PM
My only hope is that the AMP/SPA girls are working of their own free will. But I don't know for sure if they are or not.
- dearhunter
- 04-02-2010, 04:48 PM
I agree with bp..............
- CivilBarrister
- 04-02-2010, 05:02 PM
+1.
Unless you can establish a personal relationship with a girl and see her REAL house, car, etc, you will NEVER know for sure. Maybe not even then.
Unless you can establish a personal relationship with a girl and see her REAL house, car, etc, you will NEVER know for sure. Maybe not even then.
- NotSure
- 04-02-2010, 05:08 PM
+1 on CB, never know....
- WTF
- 04-02-2010, 06:18 PM
- TexasGator
- 04-02-2010, 09:56 PM
+1.CB, did (name(s) removed pending moderator discussion) hack into your account?
Unless you can establish a personal relationship with a girl and see her REAL house, car, etc, you will NEVER know for sure. Maybe not even then. Originally Posted by CivilBarrister
Knew that stalker-like post couldn't have come from you, buddy. Hopefully, mods can revise. j/k, CB. Please don't get upset or feel need to retaliate for a joke you served me on a silver platter. But if you do, I will understand.
- AlexisSoftTouch
- 04-02-2010, 11:12 PM
Nice magazine never read it before, but happend to have my tires changed on my car the other day and I read that particular article. There is a lot of human trafficking going on, it is really sad to see.
- Wayward
- 04-03-2010, 04:32 AM
I believe without having read the article that the problem is worse and not better than it was 8-10 years ago. While HPD has been very busy chasing the soccer mom providers out of the strip centers, the organized crime that runs the human trafficking has been thriving. It might not be safe to go to a toys for tots fund raiser, with out a side trip to the Reisner Hilton, but the AMPS have exploded. A few years ago it was by 400% now who knows.
There is also a tremendous cultural divide on this issue, knew a girl back in the day she had borrowed money and was working it off. While I was not comfortable with the deal she had made, she was. She had her own car, apartment and came and went. There is a lot of slavery around the world and that is a bad thing, (unless it is SSC) but while many are outraged it does not seem to be an important issue politically where the rubber meets the road.
There is also a great divide between the typical Indie price point and what is found in AMPs, I've often wondered if some of the hue and cry was not related to that is some way. We also seem to be so very willing to throw rocks not only at glass houses but often from inside them, which is hilarious. The amount of subtle and overt struggle for SHMB pecking order is fascinating.
There is also a tremendous cultural divide on this issue, knew a girl back in the day she had borrowed money and was working it off. While I was not comfortable with the deal she had made, she was. She had her own car, apartment and came and went. There is a lot of slavery around the world and that is a bad thing, (unless it is SSC) but while many are outraged it does not seem to be an important issue politically where the rubber meets the road.
There is also a great divide between the typical Indie price point and what is found in AMPs, I've often wondered if some of the hue and cry was not related to that is some way. We also seem to be so very willing to throw rocks not only at glass houses but often from inside them, which is hilarious. The amount of subtle and overt struggle for SHMB pecking order is fascinating.
- mietk
- 04-03-2010, 09:45 AM
+1.Why not ask for her green card, social security number, run a background check, stalk her for a while just to be positive?
Unless you can establish a personal relationship with a girl and see her REAL house, car, etc, you will NEVER know for sure. Maybe not even then. Originally Posted by CivilBarrister
- jenl
- 04-03-2010, 03:58 PM
- daarakan
- 04-03-2010, 11:33 PM
I'm am definitely concerned with the second phase. I never came across a lady that "seemed" enslaved in the place, but have certainly crossed the second phase. Girls that work there because that is all they know here in the us. It is a bit disconcerting. One lady was ultra aggressive asking about coming over to my place and hanging out. I'd like to think I'm great and all that, but it wasn't my personality. It sounded a lot like what this girl is going through post "freedom".
It was a little disturbing about our policy related to T-visas. I mean how do you prove you were part of human trafficking? It made an interesting point of what individual would come from another country to knowingly work at a random spa in houston or nola, etc. It seems unfathomable. And the the policy related to T-visas almost plays into the hands of the traffickers, I'm sure girls working there have heard of issues with girls getting deported back and it adds to the fear of leaving the spa scene.
My curiousity is would the legalization of sob's resolve/lessen this problem or make it worse. On first inspection, I would think it would make it less of a problem as there would be less of a cloak of darkness to the whole issue. And at the very least the police vice squads could redistribute their targets from soccer moms too the illegal trafficking sites. But on the other hand, the legalization of it might increase all aspects of the business, even the trafficking issues due to greater demand for less fear of criminal prosecutions? It didn't appear they referenced a big trafficking problem in Nevada? Does the legalization there make the spa/trafficking scene obsolete there?
No matter it certainly makes me think it might be best to avoid altogether.
It was a little disturbing about our policy related to T-visas. I mean how do you prove you were part of human trafficking? It made an interesting point of what individual would come from another country to knowingly work at a random spa in houston or nola, etc. It seems unfathomable. And the the policy related to T-visas almost plays into the hands of the traffickers, I'm sure girls working there have heard of issues with girls getting deported back and it adds to the fear of leaving the spa scene.
My curiousity is would the legalization of sob's resolve/lessen this problem or make it worse. On first inspection, I would think it would make it less of a problem as there would be less of a cloak of darkness to the whole issue. And at the very least the police vice squads could redistribute their targets from soccer moms too the illegal trafficking sites. But on the other hand, the legalization of it might increase all aspects of the business, even the trafficking issues due to greater demand for less fear of criminal prosecutions? It didn't appear they referenced a big trafficking problem in Nevada? Does the legalization there make the spa/trafficking scene obsolete there?
No matter it certainly makes me think it might be best to avoid altogether.