Continuing from Intervention 3:
After the tutorial, Elizabeth gave further advice on improving security. She pointed out that even if the appearance of the parlor changes, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safer. The information from the interviews showed that the repeated harassment of masseuses happens because exploitative customers are not punished due to a lack of sufficient evidence. Having evidence, such as CCTV cameras, could help address this problem more effectively.
When she suggested using CCTV cameras, I already knew why it might not work. From my experience working at massage parlors, customer privacy is very important. Having CCTV cameras might protect us from being harassed, but it could also invade the privacy of the customers. However, this was just my opinion, so I went back to the same shop where I conducted Intervention 3 in Germany and suggested the idea of installing more CCTV cameras to increase safety for the masseuses in case of harassment by customers.
Feedback: Her response didn’t surprise me much. She immediately said it wasn’t feasible due to German privacy laws, which make it impossible to install such cameras. Additionally, there would be increased costs for the owner, such as the cost of new cameras, setting up the system, and higher electricity bills from the additional cameras. From a practical standpoint, if a customer sees a CCTV camera in the room while changing for a massage, they would likely be upset. It would feel like seeing a camera in a bathroom. The massage room is a private space for customers to relax, and imposing on that privacy under the pretext of safety wouldn’t be acceptable to everyone. Not all customers would trust us or see the importance of this measure.
She also mentioned that she already has CCTV cameras at the front and inside the shop, but not in the massage rooms. The system is linked to an app that alerts her on her phone whenever someone enters or leaves the shop, and the cameras can also capture audio. She feels that this is sufficient.
To handle customers who harass her or the masseuses in her shop, she can only share her experiences with others so everyone is aware of the different forms of harassment they might encounter. She can only advise on the methods, words, and body language she uses to respond to these customers to protect herself, so that the other masseuses in the shop can adapt these strategies if something similar happens to them.