Sex tourism in Colombia is driving high demand for underage prostitutes. According to the U.N. International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), at least 35,000 minors are vulnerable to sexual exploitation in Colombia. Sex trafficking of minor girls by organized prostitution rings to meet demand from tourists is also on the rise. Although the sexual exploitation of children under 18 has been illegal since 2009, prostitution of young girls is increasing in Colombia due to poverty, legalized prostitution, and more foreign tourists. In the city of Cartagena, sex-tourism is a highly organized industry involving tourist agencies, taxi drivers, and other entrepreneurs.
Compiled from: Hoffman, Meredith, Sex Tourism Drives Underage Prostitution Boom in Cartagena, Colombia, Vice News (January 7, 2015).