Louisville Massage Therapists Report Rise in Sexual Requests

Licensed massage therapists in Louisville are facing an increase in inappropriate sexual requests as the city cracks down on illegal businesses posing as massage facilities.

The unintended fallout comes as municipal officials attempt to crack down on illegal businesses operating as massage facilities. The regulatory push has brought unwanted attention to legitimate businesses, WDRB+WAVE reported.

The therapists said they’ve spent years trying to separate their profession from the sex industry. Now, they report a sudden influx of vulgar phone calls, text messages, and even explicit photographs directed at their businesses.

“We get requests for happy endings. Or do you do full body massages?” Jennifer Coyle, a licensed massage therapist, told WDRB+WAVE. She said that callers have also inquired about prostate services, which Kentucky state law forbids. “So if you need a prostate massage, you need to see a urologist, period.”

Coyle eventually removed her business information from online listings after receiving unsolicited explicit photos. She described the persistent harassment as a violation.

Louisville massage therapists report rise in sexual requests amid crackdown on illegal businesses — WDRB+WAVE

“We are professionals, we are educated, and we are not running prostitution rings,” Coyle told WDRB+WAVE. “We are serious women doing good work, helping our community.”

Another licensed massage therapist, who employs five people, requested anonymity out of concern that individuals making inappropriate requests could find her. She expressed deep frustration over the shift in clientele attention.

Both professionals have implemented rigorous operational changes to screen prospective clients. Coyle now keeps pepper spray in her office, removed “massage” from her business name, and stopped allowing first-time clients to book appointments online.

“It’s sad that I have to come to work and have a can of pepper spray. But that’s the reality that we’re living in right now,” Coyle told WDRB+WAVE.

The second therapist has instituted strict client onboarding protocols. Customers must now schedule appointments in advance, provide a credit card and submit a photo before visiting.

Under Louisville’s new ordinance, legitimate operators are required to collect identification from visitors. Coyle believes this mandate provides a tangible tool to hold bad actors accountable, noting that businesses now possess the right to make a copy of identification and turn over information regarding lewd behavior.

While both therapists express support for municipal efforts targeting human trafficking, they argue that enforcement mechanisms miss the core issue by focusing heavily on businesses rather than individual consumer behavior.

“We were told while we were going through the process with trying to amend the ordinance that they were focusing on the supply. I think it’s really obvious that we should be focused on the demand,” the second therapist told WDRB+WAVE. “And if there’s no demand, then the supply goes away.”

Both practitioners are currently compiling logs of inappropriate communications, though they lack a formal municipal channel to submit these reports effectively. Coyle intends to work with Metro Council members to establish a dedicated reporting system to ensure these incidents are dealt with.