Illegal brothels: south east overrun by clandestine sex dens
Anger over dodgy illegal sex dens which are “sleazing up” Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs is on the boil, with fed-up parents saying sex workers are soliciting in the street near kids.
Inner South
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South east and peninsula families sick of their communities doubling as hot beds for illegal brothels are calling for a police crackdown on the clandestine sex dens.
The call to arms comes as a Leader investigation uncovered several massage parlours in Carrum, Cheltenham, Brighton, Moorabbin, Frankston, Hastings and Bayswater are offering sexual services on the sly.
A Carrum mother — who wishes to remain anonymous — said a suspect brothel near her home was “sleazing up the area”.
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“I have nothing against brothels as long as they’re legal because the legal ones are out in industrial areas,” she said.
“The one near where I live is in a totally inappropriate area … schoolkids and children are around all the time getting on and off buses.
“My son used to go past it to get to school and I was very uncomfortable.”
The mother said she had witnessed a staff member of the massage parlour soliciting customers in the street.
“I’ve seen the (person) out in the street trying to get customers saying stuff like ‘if you come in you’re going to have a good time’,” she said.
“It’s totally inappropriate and it makes me sick … people are sick of it.
“I have spoken to others and we all want police to shut it down.”
Australian Adult Entertainment Industry spokesman William Albon said he reported the parlour to police back in 2017.
He believes the business is linked to other massage parlours in the south east and peninsula.
He also reported two other parlours in Brighton and Cheltenham to police but the businesses are still operating.
“We have gathered evidence these so-called massage parlours were offering sexual services,” Mr Albon said.
“I rang them up and they told me on the phone that I could get a ‘happy ending’ it’s like they didn’t even care.”
A Victoria Police spokesperson said police target suspected illegal brothels based on an assessment of intelligence received.
“For operational reasons, we will not provide commentary around the specific areas or establishments we are investigating,” the spokesperson said.
Kingston Council has a take no prisoners attitude to illegal brothels.
It has been involved in the closure of 12 dodgy sex dens in the last 12 months alone.
Planning general manager Jonathan Guttmann said fighting illegal brothels was a drain on resources.
“(The council) urged Victoria Police to use full extent of their powers to investigate and shut down illegal brothels,” he said.
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