Risks of Life and the Shadows of Sex Tourism

Dating in Medellín, Colombia is being promoted to foreign men on YouTube, TikTok and other social media platforms. Lots of the videos, in English and Spanish, contain misogynistic language and suggest that the local women are both accessible and easy. These videos are part of a wider trend of “passport bros” many of whom are American men, seeking life abroad in places marketed by content creators as being good for meeting women. In theory, adult men going to meet adult women is not a problem, but Medellin has a huge problem with sexual exploitation. It is often nicknamed by the press as ‘the world’s biggest brothel’. Since the pandemic the city has introduced curfews for underage girls in some neighbourhoods while NGOs work against the issue.