Therapists win Yellow Pages brothel victory

Therapists rubbed up the wrong way by being lumped in with brothels in the Yellow Pages have scored a victory with the directory company agreeing to consider separating the two industries.

Masseuses and health and fitness therapists have been seeing red over the company's failure to adequately distinguish the two industries and representatives of the world's oldest profession agree the matter needs to be straightened out.

Massage New Zealand wants the more risque "massage parlours" to be listed under "adult services" because of confusion over what services are on offer.

Currently therapists are listed under massage health and fitness, which is followed by massage parlours.

"It has always caused a problem," Massage NZ president Barry Vautier said.

"Quite a few of our members get calls that are unsavoury, particularly those who work from home.

"Some have got to the point where they won't take male clients any more."

Yellow Pages staff met Mr Vautier this month, and the directory's marketing director, Blair Glubb, said the company would talk to both parties.

"We're open to doing something with the classification.

"We want to find a solution that works for everybody."

Mr Vautier said the move to separate the industries became more pressing after prostitution was decriminalised in 2003.

"Separating the two would make a big difference," he said.

"It will send a message to the public we're a bona fide industry."

New Zealand Prostitutes Collective national coordinator Catherine Healy agreed that there needed to be a demarcation suitable to both sides.

"We acknowledge that for massage therapists there has been a longstanding confusion that has frustrated them."

Some sex workers did offer massage as part of their service, but they could state that in their advertising, she said.

"It used to be a facade adopted by the sex industry which is international.

"It's still very popular.

"But I think they'd be comfortable being tucked under adult services. They don't want to get the wrong bunch of clients either."

- © Fairfax NZ News