Summary of Journalistic Sources on Intimate Massage Salons in Russia
Description
This dataset comprises a systematically compiled corpus of 41 journalistic sources published between 2010 and 2026, documenting the phenomenon of intimate massage salons operating across the Russian Federation. The collection was assembled as part of a qualitative sociological study examining the organisational structures, legal dimensions, labour conditions, consumer motivations, and public health implications of these establishments. The sources encompass a diverse range of publication types, including investigative reports, news articles, interviews with current and former workers, court reports, analytical essays, legal consultations, and medical commentaries. Geographically, the materials cover major metropolitan areas—Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Novosibirsk, Kazan, Chelyabinsk, Nizhny Novgorod, and others—as well as regional centres across the country. Each entry has been systematically coded across five analytical dimensions: organisational structure (hierarchical arrangements, shift patterns, remuneration systems, disciplinary regimes); legal issues (statutory classification, criminal and administrative liability, enforcement practices); workers' motives and socio‑demographic characteristics (age, educational background, pathways into the profession, earnings, working conditions); consumers' motives and profiles (age, marital status, occupational background, stated reasons for attendance); and public health risks (sexually transmitted infections, dermatological conditions, psychological trauma, substance use). The dataset serves as an empirical foundation for understanding the shadow economy of commercial sexual services in contemporary Russia and provides a replicable framework for cross‑national comparative research on similar phenomena. Additionally: the file contains a description of the dataset in Russian (Sheet 1) and in English (sheet 2).
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Steps to reproduce
The dataset was constructed through a multi‑stage systematic search strategy. Between May and July 2026, searches were conducted using the Yandex and Google search engines with Russian‑language queries, including "салон интимного массажа" (intimate massage salon), "салон эротического массажа" (erotic massage salon), and "мужской спа‑салон" (men's SPA salon), as well as expanded queries combining these terms with keywords such as "интервью" (interview), "рейд полиции" (police raid), "суд" (court), and "сотрудница рассказала" (worker's account). Search results were screened for relevance based on title and summary; full texts were then retrieved and assessed against inclusion criteria: publications must originate from registered mass media outlets or recognised non‑governmental organisation portals, contain original reporting or analysis, and provide substantive information relevant to at least one of the five analytical dimensions. Duplicate reports of the same event from different outlets were retained where each contributed unique details. Exclusion criteria comprised purely promotional materials from the establishments themselves, social media posts, forum discussions, and content lacking substantive information on the phenomenon. From an initial pool exceeding 150 potentially relevant items, 42 sources were selected for final inclusion. Each selected source was read in full, and data were extracted into a structured coding frame with predefined categories for each analytical dimension. To enhance reliability, recurring patterns were cross‑verified across multiple independent sources; isolated claims were noted but not incorporated into generalisations without corroboration. The resulting dataset was compiled in tabular format with bilingual (Russian and English) representations to facilitate accessibility for both domestic and international researchers. Additionally: DeepSeek's generative artificial intelligence was used to translate the dataset into academic English (corrections and edits).