NCBTMB Issues Human Trafficking Statement

Burr Ridge, Ill. (November 8, 2019)—NCBTMB has issued the below statement regarding Human Trafficking:

According to the Department of Homeland Security, human trafficking is modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.

NCBTMB acknowledges that human trafficking is a very serious and horrible epidemic worldwide. It takes many forms including labor, domestic servitude, and commercial sex trafficking. NCBTMB condemns all forms of human trafficking.

Human trafficking is an illegal activity. Those that are perpetrators of this crime disguise and hide their activities in many different areas, including massage therapy, thus potentially giving our industry a negative image. Though NCBTMB was one of the first organizations to bring light to human trafficking in the massage therapy profession and understands the importance of awareness, at this time we will not accept or approve continuing education regarding human trafficking.

Continuing education accepted by NCBTMB needs to elevate the profession through knowledge of sciences, different techniques, business and other areas massage therapists can master to elevate themselves. NCBTMB’s Board of Directors understands the significance of, and is sympathetic to, human trafficking in the massage industry but does not feel it has a place in Board Certification, the highest voluntary credential in the massage therapy profession.

NCBTMB works to advance the mission of massage therapists who work to support clients’ health and well-being and ensure they are a vital component of healthcare and wellness.

NCBTMB stands with other professional organizations’ missions to distinguish massage therapists from sex traffickers hiding under the guise of massage therapist. The first step is to stop calling these businesses massage parlors and treating the people working in the establishments as massage therapists offering sexual acts because it detracts from the important work that we do to provide health and well-being to our clients.

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