'But the city has decided to face the problem and take an absolutely clear position against these illegal activities.' The old town of Cartagena is surrounded by a very well preserved city wall Image: DW/ Nicole Frölich

In this way, the initiative aims to combat a problem which, according to Irvin Pérez, has for a long time not been recognized as such by the Cartagena Tourism Board: 'Like any holiday destination, we were afraid of being demonized and of suffering a loss in visitor numbers,' he says. The concept: a combination of prevention, raising awareness, reporting and prosecution. 'La Muralla ¡Soy Yo!' was founded in 2009 by the NGO Renacer and is dedicated to combating child prostitution in Cartagena. He made the leap out of this vicious circle thanks to a local initiative: La Muralla ¡Soy Yo! (I am the Wall).Ĭhild prostitution long ignored for fear of being stigmatized I had no idea how much this decision would hurt me.' For two years he was regularly abused and intimidated by a group of men. Increasingly, victims are also being approached directly via social media.įernando (name changed) was 13 years old when a stranger made him a seemingly lucrative offer on Facebook: 'When they offered to pay me for sex, I naively agreed because I didn't have enough money to live the way I wanted to. As 26% of Cartagena's inhabitants live in poverty, many families have no other way out of deprivation than to sell their young daughters and sons to prostitution rings. Prostitution rings recruit children and juveniles via social mediaĬhild prostitution is a serious problem in the city. Fernando fell victim to a prostitution ring Image: DW/ Nicole Frölich For years, Cartagena has been a hotspot for sex tourists who target children. However, not all tourists come here for the charming atmosphere. The narrow streets with their colorful houses and flower-filled balconies are ideal for strolling and relaxing.

Only the capital Bogotá attracts more visitors every year than this port city in the state of Bolívar.Ĭartagena's mixture of colonial heritage and Afro-Colombian culture is unique. Cartagena de Indias on the Colombian Caribbean coast is a popular holiday destination.

Cartagena colombia prostitucion