The Illicit Massage Industry (IMI) is arguably one of the largest forms of human trafficking in the United States.

An illicit massage business (IMB) is an establishment that puts on the façade of a legitimate massage business in order to faciliate commercial sex services. As of 2022, we assess there are over 11,000 IMBs operating in all 50 states. As a whole, this national industry generates an estimated $4.3 billion a year in illicit revenue.

To be clear: the IMI is not random nor harmless. Traffickers are organized, coordinated, and terribly effective. Whether in big cities or small towns, they are enabling and profiting off the exploitation and trafficking of women all across the country.