Santa Rosa officials say they are doing significant progress in cracking down on illicit massage businesses. At a public safety committee meeting Tuesday, they highlighted efforts to combat alleged trafficking and a proposed review of outdated ordinances that may have allowed illicit activity to flourish.

The authorities plan to draft a new regulation by the end of the year. The updated statute, which will include additional restrictions and enforcement measures, is expected to go before the Planning Commission and City Council early next year.

Meanwhile, law enforcement has opened a dozen new investigations into businesses for violating city codes.

Tuesday’s meeting came just days after Santa Rosa police and code enforcement officials conducted an investigation. operation in which three women, suspected of being victims of trafficking, were rescued from a massage business.

They were found Oct. 9 during an inspection related to building code and other violations. Staff at Verity, Sonoma County’s sexual violence crisis and counseling center, have been present and connected each woman with a lawyer, as well as accommodation and transportation.

Although details of that operation have not been released, Santa Rosa police on Tuesday provided more information about their surveillance of suspected illicit massage parlors in the city.

While conducting surveillance of two businesses, police identified 12 customers, as The Press Democrat reported Tuesday. But Sgt. Patricia Seffens later told a reporter that of the five clients contacted, three admitted to paying for sex acts.

None of the people were cited, but police said the clients were given educational resources about commercial sex crimes and human trafficking.

“Criminal charges may be sought pending the results of further investigation,” Seffens said.

Santa Rosa Police Chief John Cregan said during Tuesday’s meeting that investigators will continue to monitor suspected massage businesses and their customers. They also target business owners who “clearly encourage commercial sex trafficking.”

“If you are frequenting massage parlors to participate in sex acts for money, be aware that you are likely contributing to trafficking,” said Lisa Diaz-McQuaid, human trafficking case manager for Verity. “You might think it’s harmless. This is really not the case.

The ultimate goal of law enforcement is to continue to collaborate with nonprofit organizations to support victims of trafficking., Cregan noted, however, that survivors often have difficulty accepting help due to manipulation, threats from traffickers or lack of trust in law enforcement.

Cregan said it can be an “anomaly” for trafficking victims to accept help.

“It depends on where the survivor is in their experience. Some are ready to go immediately and others unfortunately feel like they’re not ready or there’s a lot of fear related to finding resources,” said Diaz-McQuaid, Verity’s social worker. This may be particularly true for people in vulnerable situations, for example if they are in the country illegally.

In recent years, advocates have pushed policymakers and police to stop criminalizing victims and target abusers.

Trafficking is a complex and entrenched problem, more common than people think, Diaz-McQuaid said.

“When news of a rescue appears in the newspapers, everyone seems to be in shock,” she said. “I hope that with all of this, the community will start to become more aware.”

12 new investigations

Code Enforcement, the city’s business crime monitoring agency, has stepped up its investigations into possible illicit massage businesses alongside police.

In February, as community concerns grew, Code Enforcement began responding to complaints about these businesses. They identified eight companies requiring further analysis investigation.

One of those businesses has since been shuttered, and another appears to have closed its doors after a series of unresolved building violations, including unauthorized additions, services performed behind locked doors, and employees working without certifications appropriate.

Since the opening of the initial eight cases, law enforcement officials have taken a more aggressive approach approach to identifying companies involved in illicit activities.

There are now a dozen additional investigations opened into Santa Rosa businesses.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Daniela DeBaca, senior code enforcement officer, said evidence shows some of these businesses share the same ownership, with one owner being linked to four or five. She added that there could be more companies under the same ownership, as not all of them necessarily have proper certification.

There are similarities in potential violations among the dozen newly identified companies, DeBaca said, and each investigation is approached with a focus on potential human trafficking.