DCW submits report to Baijal, gives recommendation to stop prostitution rackets in spa

Changing licensing norms and a high-level inquiry to examine the role of police, MCD and politicians in alleged prostitution rackets running in spas were some of the recommendations by the DCW in its report submitted to Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal, the panel said.

The Delhi Commission For Women submitted detailed recommendations to Baijal to stop prostitution rackets in spa and massage parlours in Delhi.

The Commission said it has observed through its field inspections that full scale prostitution rackets are running in several spa centres in various locations in Delhi.

The report said while police in Ghaziabad, Gurgaon, Noida, Mumbai and Bengaluru have been actively acting against prostitution rackets operating in spa centres, Delhi Police is completely silent on the matter.

The report demanded a complete ban on cross-gender massages across all categories of spas and massage centres as is being done in Goa.

"All spa centres running illegally in Delhi should be closed with immediate effect and no further spa should be given a new license until strong and stringent mechanisms are adopted for licensing of spa centres," it said.

It also demanded a change in licensing norms and the formation of an internal complaints committee for prevention of sexual harassment.

The staff should be appointed in the spas with minimum educational and technical qualification for the purpose of providing massage services and only after police verification, the report said.

Commission chief Swati Maliwal requested Baijal to form joint teams of MCD, Delhi Police and DCW to inspect all existing spa centre to examine the activities running therein.

The panel also demanded that a high-level and an in-depth inquiry be conducted to examine the role of Delhi Police, MCD and politicians in running prostitution rackets in spa centres.