Â鶹´«Ã½

But instead of living the American dream, Wang found herself trapped in an American nightmare — one shared by tens of thousands of Asian women who migrate to the U.S.

Within three years, Wang said, her then-husband — who associated with human traffickers — constantly pressured her to work in massage parlors. He needed money to repay a $50,000 debt he had racked up to get to America. Wang said her husband could be violent and she feared for her safety.

"I felt like I had no choice," Wang recalled.

“He kept pushing, kept pushing,� Wang said, speaking through a translator. “He often told me it was an easy job and a quick way to make money.�

Attempts to speak with Wang's now ex-husband were unsuccessful.

Wang had no experience in massage – no idea what to expect. But the spa owner assured her she wouldn’t be asked to do anything upsetting. That quickly proved to be a lie.

“The owner just said, ‘Oh, you will be fine.’ Right away, he pushed me into the room and then had me perform a massage for the client,� she said. “Then some male customers kept forcing themselves on me, trying to kiss and hug me. It made me extremely uncomfortable and embarrassed.�

For the next two years, Wang said she felt helpless, shuffling from one illicit massage parlor to another, coerced into providing massages with so-called "happy endings."

Today, more than 16,800 illegal massage parlors offer sexual services in the United States, according to an estimate from The Network, a nonprofit dedicated to combating sex trafficking in these establishments. A Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Team investigation found that state and local authorities are doing little to protect women like Wang.

She agreed to share details of her harrowing journey to save other women from a life of dread, fear and violence.

Harrowing journey

Shortly after Wang arrived in New York in November 2011, she discovered she was pregnant. Life then was good. She loved New York – the people, the surroundings. Wang took joy in raising her newborn daughter. But by 2014, her husband was no longer able to pay rent. He was tired of working as a low-paying restaurant worker for many years. He started gambling, and he insisted that she work in massage parlors to support the family.

“When I started thinking about working,� she said, “I really had no idea what this was about. I didn’t know what kind of clients I would be meeting – didn’t know exactly what dangers would look like.�

One of the most terrifying aspects of the job came after 9 p.m., when the owner would arrange for someone to drive Wang to provide in-home services. Often, she worked until 4 a.m. Some customers were drug users. They would frequently become abusive, making extreme and degrading demands.

The experience left Wang so traumatized she declined to share the details. But she did reveal that she was robbed and even raped.

The violence Wang endured belies a belief by some that women in illegal massage parlors are not coerced.

Many of the women themselves will deny coercion. In one academic survey, for example, 83 percent of 116 Asian women who worked in illicit massage parlors told researchers they had not been coerced.

Wang understands why so many women are hesitant to admit they were forced into sex work. In China, women are expected to bear children and pass on virtues to them. They see doing sex work as shameful.

“Psychologically, most do not genuinely wish to earn a living by touching male genitals every day,� Wang said. “The fact that so many women are willing to engage in sex work and illegal massage reflects how market forces, cultural traditions, and a lack of self-awareness have shaped their decisions.�

Some women believe they cannot make as much money doing any other job. However, 40 percent of these women in the survey told researchers they had been sexually assaulted on the job.

“If a sexual assault occurs, many choose to silently endure the trauma, prioritizing financial gain over the negative experience. In Chinese culture, there’s a traditional belief of “keeping family disgrace private,� and sexual assault cases are notoriously difficult to address clearly. Thus, the easiest approach is often to bear and forget.�

Wang says, in theory, she could have refused when her husband insisted. Yet at the time, she felt she had no other options and recognizes now that she was coerced.

One of the biggest obstacles to prosecuting human trafficking cases is the reluctance of victims to cooperate with law enforcement.

Legally, trafficking charges require proof of coercion, and that often hinges on victims testifying against their exploiters. But many women are unwilling – or are too afraid – to discuss their experiences, particularly when it involves sexual exploitation.

As a result, prosecutors must find creative legal strategies to hold traffickers accountable, often pursuing alternative charges to secure convictions.

Wang tried as much as possible to work in legitimate massage parlors. But that was a challenge.

“When I worked at a legitimate massage parlor, I could earn $15 per hour plus tips and worked 6–7 hours a day.�

However, she said she didn’t get many customers at legitimate massage parlors.

“If there were no clients during my working hours, I would earn nothing, yet I still had to pay for childcare and rent. As a result, there were times when I had no choice but to take the risk of working at an illegal massage parlor for a short period,� she said.

“Some illegal massage parlors are upfront about their nature, with owners sugarcoating the risks and clients while guaranteeing earnings. Others conceal their true nature, giving the impression they are legitimate.�

Despite her efforts, Wang was not able to earn enough to pay off the debt. She also had to endure eating and sleeping at the places she worked. This was a cost-saving measure most owners used to maximize profits.

“So living there, eating there, and sleeping there is not only common, but it's almost the standard,� she said.

She endured the shame of being arrested once for prostitution. This is a common tactic police use when trying to target illicit massage parlors.

“The experience was terrifying,� she said.

For some, getting arrested might be a wake-up call, she said. But arresting the women can also traumatize them.

“The police are often really rough to the female. And so it's already traumatic experience, and that roughness makes that experience even more traumatic,� she said.

In her case, the owner tried to send her to another parlor he owned in another state. She refused because it was too far from home, but many women had little choice. Normally, women move from one parlor to another every three to six months, looking for better pay.

"Many people think women enter this work willingly," Wang said. "But most are victims of coercion, poverty, and cultural pressures. They don’t want to do this. They just don’t see any other way."

One day, while working in a parlor in New Jersey, Wang had had enough. She took a cab home. She told her husband she was going to quit. At the same time, she said, her husband was becoming more violent, and she would eventually leave him as well.

“It took a long time to stay away from it, but it kind of goes back to my childhood,� she said. “I always knew that I wanted to pursue a happy life, but I knew the whole time I was working in this work I was never happy, not even one day.�

Leaving was not easy. It took several tries.

“It’s not like just one day waking up and it’s all over,� she said.

But it is possible to leave, Wang says. She eventually found a job as a consultant for groups trying to help other women in the same situation.

“I started earning money and was able to pay rent, and I have some spending money, and then be able to start savings and repay my debts. So that's honorable… My work really fulfills some of my childhood dreams.�

She discovered a love for the arts, attending concerts, visiting museums and writing her experiences. She also reads a lot more.

“I noticed that I smile a lot,� Wang said. “Now I'm more cheerful. I'm more confident. I have experienced many positive and joyful moments now. So yeah, I think my life has changed around, and I am happy now.�

Wang discovered that with perseverance and courage, it is possible to leave the massage parlors and live a fulfilling life.