Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be upset a brothel has opened next door to my child's school

315 replies

OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 09:52

Walking past school last week I noticed a shop next door that had been shut for ages has now turned into a 'massage' place. Curtains firmly shut, doorbell on, locked door, 'calling cards' left on the outside for people to pick up discreetly. Checked online and the gumtree ads and reviews from men leave no doubt the type of massages they are offering.

The school is a special needs school and some of the older children, whilst vulnerable with learning disabilities, do walk to school alone past the premises. The whole thing just really gives me the creeps, the idea of a bunch of creepy men being attracted to the road right by all these kids, possibly drugs etc.

Anyways I messaged the class WhatsApp to try and co-ordinate complaints to the council and the general vibe was I was overreacting. We are in a big city, there's always going to be something going on in the vicinity. Why put some ladies out of work when they're trying to earn an honest living and as long as they aren't parading into school what's the drama.

I don't know, AIBU?

OP posts:
SirDanielBrackley · 27/03/2025 11:02

AnSolas · 27/03/2025 10:10

🍿
Pro-prostitution mothers in a special needs school not worried about prostitution happening next door to the school and you need MN to work out if you need to safeguard your child or not?🙄

Tip

Get a big old fashioned camera and
some high vis vests with Mumpatrolon_SM on the back
stand out side your school and
aim the camera at the business door and
say smile for the camera to any one passing

The problem will quickly resolve itself.

Then sit back and wait to be arrested for conduct liable to cause a breach of the peace.

LauderSyme · 27/03/2025 11:00

ItGhoul · 27/03/2025 10:48

Why do you imagine that men who are going to visit adult women for sex are going to be interested in the kids at your child's special needs school? They're no more likely to be paedophiles than any other man. Setting aside the rights/wrongs of sex work in general, the only sexual interest these men are demonstrating is in sex with adult women. They're no more likely to be a danger to a child than any other man who has sex with women.

So you're saying that

men who objectify adult people's bodies purely in pursuit of their own sexual satisfaction, with not a thought for another's welfare

are a totally different type of predator to

men who objectify minor people's bodies purely in pursuit of their own sexual satisfaction, with not a thought for another's welfare?

Is that what you're saying?

Original poster
OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 10:58

LoremIpsumCici · 27/03/2025 10:52

So, what are you saying, that you are ok with sex trafficking of girls and women so long as it isn’t by your child’s school? Somewhere you see it? Why are you more concerned about your child seeing slavery on the way to school than about slavery itself?

Show quote history

No. I'm very very much against trafficking and politically in favour of criminalising the buying of sex. And supportive of campaigns and write to my MP about it and all of those things. I guess my point was though, as long as these things happen, whether I should be concerned about them happening specifically in the vicinity of school.

In terms of what my kid sees - well he doesn't see any of it. The curtains are shut and he doesn't even know the facts of life.

Out of curiosity, would your view, as a person who is concerned about sex trafficking, be that one should report any and all such premises to alert the police to investigate? I'm trying to figure out my position on this.

OP posts:
mindutopia · 27/03/2025 10:55

I would raise it as a concern with the headteacher and board of governors. Me personally, I wouldn’t necessarily have an issue as long as the children are safe and it’s discreet. I would want the school to review its safeguarding policy though just to make sure.

That said, at one point in my mid 20s, I both lived in a flat above a massage parlour (they were lovely quiet neighbours actually, can’t say as much for everyone else in the block) and worked in an office above a dominatrix’s dungeon. 😂 I live in a very staid middle class village now, but my 20s were good fun.

Tumot · 27/03/2025 10:55

ItGhoul · 27/03/2025 10:48

Why do you imagine that men who are going to visit adult women for sex are going to be interested in the kids at your child's special needs school? They're no more likely to be paedophiles than any other man. Setting aside the rights/wrongs of sex work in general, the only sexual interest these men are demonstrating is in sex with adult women. They're no more likely to be a danger to a child than any other man who has sex with women.

Sorry but seeing as men who pay for sex are more likely to commit rape or other sexual crimes against women, I’m not sure those sorts of people are the people you trust around vulnerable children either.

LoveFridaynight · 27/03/2025 10:52

I think I would report it to the police, incase it is girls/women being forced to do this.
I don't necessarily agree the locked door is a red flag (how do you even know it's locked)as it could be to stop random people or worse children from wandering in.
Get it checked by police and hopefully that'll put an end to it being by the school, although it will probably just reopen somewhere else sadly.

LoremIpsumCici · 27/03/2025 10:52

OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 10:50

Also true. But that's a bigger problem and not to do with the location of premises.

Show quote history

So, what are you saying, that you are ok with sex trafficking of girls and women so long as it isn’t by your child’s school? Somewhere you see it? Why are you more concerned about your child seeing slavery on the way to school than about slavery itself?

notsorighteousthesedays · 27/03/2025 10:51

@ItGhoul unfortunately the statistics don't support your statement.

Original poster
OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 10:51

LoremIpsumCici · 27/03/2025 10:48

I’m more worried about the possibility (over 80%) of underage girls and young women inside it being raped multiple times a day.

Edited
Show quote history

Oh interesting. One of the reviews online mentioned the walls are thin so customers could hear everything going on in adjoining rooms so I don't think it's just one lady.

OP posts:
Original poster
OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 10:50

LoremIpsumCici · 27/03/2025 10:48

I’m more worried about the possibility (over 80%) of underage girls and young women inside it being raped multiple times a day.

Edited
Show quote history

Also true. But that's a bigger problem and not to do with the location of premises.

OP posts:
LoremIpsumCici · 27/03/2025 10:49

LlynTegid · 27/03/2025 10:48

My understanding is that it is not illegal if there is only one woman working there at a time, as that does not make it a brothel. Does not affect the question of trafficking though.

Correct. If it’s all legal and above board, then they won’t mind being investigated by the police.

Original poster
OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 10:49

ItGhoul · 27/03/2025 10:48

Why do you imagine that men who are going to visit adult women for sex are going to be interested in the kids at your child's special needs school? They're no more likely to be paedophiles than any other man. Setting aside the rights/wrongs of sex work in general, the only sexual interest these men are demonstrating is in sex with adult women. They're no more likely to be a danger to a child than any other man who has sex with women.

Yes I see this point.

OP posts:
ItGhoul · 27/03/2025 10:48

Why do you imagine that men who are going to visit adult women for sex are going to be interested in the kids at your child's special needs school? They're no more likely to be paedophiles than any other man. Setting aside the rights/wrongs of sex work in general, the only sexual interest these men are demonstrating is in sex with adult women. They're no more likely to be a danger to a child than any other man who has sex with women.

LlynTegid · 27/03/2025 10:48

My understanding is that it is not illegal if there is only one woman working there at a time, as that does not make it a brothel. Does not affect the question of trafficking though.

LoremIpsumCici · 27/03/2025 10:48

OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 10:46

Because I wasn't sure if I was being unreasonable and unnecessarily morally outraged about something that truly wasn't impacting the kids really. Hence trying to get an unbiased view from MN

Show quote history

I’m more worried about the possibility (over 80%) of underage girls and young women inside it being raped multiple times a day.

Original poster
OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 10:47

ErickBroch · 27/03/2025 10:46

How many posts in total are you going to make about this?

Ugh this one didn't get posted for an hour because of MN screening (they screen stuff out which makes reference to crimes). So having thought it was being filtered out I re-posted with some wording changes.

OP posts:
Original poster
OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 10:46

Orangemintcream · 27/03/2025 10:37

Why don’t you just report to the police ?

Because I wasn't sure if I was being unreasonable and unnecessarily morally outraged about something that truly wasn't impacting the kids really. Hence trying to get an unbiased view from MN

OP posts:
ErickBroch · 27/03/2025 10:46

How many posts in total are you going to make about this?

LoremIpsumCici · 27/03/2025 10:45

Tumot · 27/03/2025 10:39

Seeing as there’s an association between massage parlours and sex trafficking or other abuses of the women working there, I would be reporting it for that reason alone.

Agree, and not to the bloody council, but to the police. Or here
https://www.modernslavery.gov.uk/start
or by calling tel:0800 0121 700

Original poster
OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 10:45

ERthree · 27/03/2025 10:22

What is the problem, are they having sex in full view of the street ? The children won't take any notice or even know what is going on inside. They will only know if their Mothers are having outraged conversations within their earshot.
I lived in a town on mainland Europe where there was a "club" with a stripper sign outside right next to the Church, nobody bothered.

I have not discussed this in front of my child, by the way! He has special needs, he doesn't understand the facts of life, far less what a brothel is. As I say I don't know why it gives me the creeps so much as I know realistically the house opposite me could be used for the same purposes and I would be none the wiser.

OP posts:
LoremIpsumCici · 27/03/2025 10:44

Most of these places use trafficked girls and women. The door being locked and shut is a big red flag that it isn’t consenting happy hookers making an honest living. If it were, they’d hardly need to be locked up. I would be reporting it to the police as potential modern slavery issue.

Original poster
OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 10:42

monicagellerbing · 27/03/2025 10:29

Children walk past disgusting predatory men everywhere they go unfortunately

Show quote history

Also true.

OP posts:
Original poster
OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 10:41

Ddakji · 27/03/2025 10:23

That’s appalling that the council have allowed this - I would start with them. Kick up as massive a fuss as you can. Children should not have to walk past the disgusting predatory abusive men who will be going there.

Well they haven't - brothel-keeping is against the law. They just obviously haven't checked / don't care.

OP posts:
Original poster
OneJadeEagle · 27/03/2025 10:41

ERthree · 27/03/2025 10:22

What is the problem, are they having sex in full view of the street ? The children won't take any notice or even know what is going on inside. They will only know if their Mothers are having outraged conversations within their earshot.
I lived in a town on mainland Europe where there was a "club" with a stripper sign outside right next to the Church, nobody bothered.

Yeah that was the view of other parents I guess. I don't want to be a Mary Whitehouse style puritan, it just weirds me out. Not because of the women, but because of the creepy men.

OP posts:
Tumot · 27/03/2025 10:39

Seeing as there’s an association between massage parlours and sex trafficking or other abuses of the women working there, I would be reporting it for that reason alone.