When it comes to protecting children from sexual exploitation in Colombia, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about awareness, prevention and how to stop exploitation before it happens. Yet one question is rarely asked: what happens to the children after they’re rescued?
As international travel continues to grow, making the problem visible and helping travellers recognise the signs has become more important than ever. But while awareness is an essential first step, it doesn’t heal the harm that’s already been done. We often celebrate police operations as if they were the happy ending, when in reality, they are only the beginning. Removing a child from exploitation is one step; helping them recover from the trauma can take years.
The point isn’t to simply talk about how big the problem is, but to bring light to the fact that there are already thousands of children who need specialized support today. Despite decades of awareness campaigns, a study by UNICEF revealed that during the past year one in five Colombian adolescents reported experiencing online sexual abuse, exploitation, or other forms of sexual violence facilitated by technology.
In contrast, according to data from the Colombian Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General de la Nación), there were only approximately 2,200 reported cases of trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents (ESCNNA) in Colombia.
We can’t deny that prevention is a fundamental part of making a change and taking action before harm occurs, but when the damage is already done mitigation is the only way to help victims. It implies a long-term effort of intervening when the worst has already happened. In this context, it requires deep expertise, legal coordination, and organizations that are deeply rooted in the realities of these crimes, who already have the trust and capabilities needed to execute actual rescues.
According to UNICEF, even after a rescue is conducted, many children remain isolated, as only 15% of victims disclose the abuse to their mother or caregiver, and just 17% tell a friend. Tragically, others are re-recruited through false job offers or economic vulnerability. Mitigation then focuses on children whose lives have already been affected through crisis intervention, psychological care, legal support, family work, education, and rebuilding a life project.
In practice, this means facing the hard reality of what recovery looks like: learning to rebuild trust, finding the courage to return to a classroom, and slowly reclaiming the right to dream of a future.
Our partnership aims to turn headlines into physical protection, and this is exactly why Valientes Colombia plays such a critical role: they are an example of the highly specialized organizations needed after prevention has failed. They complement the work of government institutions by providing long-term support through cooperation agreements to strengthen the national response to ESCNNA.
This approach is built on the hard truth that surviving exploitation requires coordinated support to escape: Valientes Colombia doesn’t just offer guidance; they actively coordinate with local authorities to facilitate the rescue and repatriation of victims, returning them from situations of severe exploitation back to protective environments in Colombia.
The impact of our partnership at Holafly focuses on supporting these critical interventions: we do not have the specialized skills to execute an international rescue or provide trauma care, but we know how to connect those who do. Because maintaining secure communication channels is a matter of life and death during international rescues, our contribution of solidarity eSIMs ensures that survivors and support workers remain safely connected across borders as they navigate highly dangerous situations, communicate with authorities, and coordinate safe returns home.
Travelers also have a big part to play in mitigating these risks, and it takes more than just meaning well: when we visit a new place, we temporarily become part of it, meaning we have a duty to pay attention. Many rescues often begin with a single tip from an observer, so keeping vulnerable populations safe depends heavily on everyday people noticing when a situation feels wrong and using the right channels to report it immediately.
We invite everyone who moves through these spaces to join this effort by staying vigilant. Because ultimately, removing a child from exploitation might take a single coordinated operation, but helping them heal, reclaim their childhood, and build a future is a journey of years.
How to report If you observe any situation that raises concern, you can report it completely anonymously through official channels:
- Te Protejo App: Visit teprotejo.org
- Valientes Colombia: Contact them directly through their platform at valientescolombia.org or on Instagram at @valientescol
- Official protection lines: Dial 141 within Colombia
