The Prosecutor’s Office Strategy against human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation in Cartagena

On the occasion of the World Day against Human Trafficking, and in response to the investigative axes defined to fight this criminal phenomenon, the Attorney General’s Office organized several activities in Cartagena with the purpose of guiding, identifying, and mitigating this problem in the city.

The strategy was called Route against Sexual Exploitation and Human Trafficking (Ruta contra la Explotación Sexual y la Trata de Personas) and is in charge of the Gender National  Working Group (Grupo de Trabajo Nacional de Género para los Delitos que Afectan a Niños, Niñas, Adolescentes y Mujeres), of which the Social Prevention Program ‘Futuro Colombia’ is part.

The agenda began with an inter-institutional meeting in which allied entities such as the United Nations (UN), the Colombian Welfare Institute (Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar ICBF), the Panamerican Foundation (Fundación Panamericana para el Desarrollo FUPAD), the Mayor’s Office of Cartagena, the Renacer Foundation and Migration Colombia participated.

Also, the Police (Policía de Infancia y Adolescencia), unions such as Cotelco and Corpoturismo, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the National Navy, the Attorney General’s Office and Defensoria, among others, also attended the meeting.

Each of these entities, within the scope of their powers, explained the situations and the context in which human trafficking or sexual exploitation for commercial purposes can occur.

Specialized prosecutors and other judicial officials shared the work carried out within the framework of the #EsoEsCuento strategy. In dialogue with the different representatives, the route for assistance for victims of human trafficking and the legal treatment given by the Prosecutor’s Office to issues related to organized crime and its finances, and gender-based violence were explained in detail.

Friday, July 29

On the second day of the meeting, the Prosecutor’s Office and the other participants will carry out an activity to offer institutional services at the so-called Plaza de Los Coches, in Centro Historico de La Heroica.

Here, citizens will receive information and guidance about the crime of human trafficking, and will learn about the risk factors, and the methods used by criminals to attract and choose their victims. In addition, information about the attention channels available in the Prosecutor’s Office to receive complaints from victims and receive immediate assistance will be provided. The event will be from 2:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m.

When we speak, results follow.

The information contained in this press release corresponds to the narration of the objective news provided by the officials in charge of carrying out criminal investigations within the Office of the Attorney General. By the time this communication is disclosed, the legal status of the people mentioned is still pending to be resolved by the competent judicial authority, always under the presumption of innocence contemplated by Article 29 of the Political Constitution and Article 7 of Law 906 of 2004.