Aaron D'Andrea

Petition urges changes to Toronto body rub parlours after woman murdered

Current bylaw prohibits sex workers from locking their doors

A petition started by a group advocating for sex workers calls on the City of Toronto to increase safety measures at body rub parlours.

The petition, created by Butterfly Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Network, states that "current laws are complicit in increasing risks and directly block prevention of harms faced by workers and must be addressed immediately."

The request comes after a toronto.com story highlighted a bylaw regulation that prohibits body rub parlours from locking doors in rooms where services are performed.

"Locking the door to screen clients is an important and common-sense safety measure," the petition reads.

On Feb. 24, a machete attack occurred at Crown Spa in North York, an "erotic massage" parlour as it's described on its website.

Ashley Noell Arzaga, 24, was killed in the attack. A woman and man were also found suffering from multiple stab wounds.

A 17-year-old boy is charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder.

The motive of the attack and how it played out are unclear, and toronto.com has not been able to verify if Arzaga and the other female victim were employees at the spa, or if they had any connections to the suspect.

City of Toronto spokesperson Naomi Ahmad previously told toronto.com the regulation about unlocked doors is a "long standing requirement" that was "originally put in place as a safety measure for workers in body rub parlours." Ahmad did not elaborate further.

However, that bylaw is under review after receiving direction from city council in May "to modernize regulations, provide effective oversight and enforcement, and promote public health and safety."

A report is due in 2021.

The petition claims multiple "repressive" bylaw provisions "not only violate the rights of these workers," but "constitute a direct physical danger to them."

To view the petition, visit http://bit.ly/3apH4Dy.