Gangs known as combos run the illicit business of the clandestine auction of virgins. The combos prey on vulnerable girls easily silenced by threats and small bribes. Young girls in from ages 10 to 15 are the most vulnerable to sexual exploitation.

Once a girl has been selected for the auction, a member of the combo often approaches her parents with a proposal that they guard their daughter’s virginity until its time for the auction, for which the family will be rewarded.

If the family won’t cooperate or goes to the police, then threats begin. These sex trafficking networks evolve constantly to evade law enforcement.

A government office that addresses human rights abuses has relocated three families who feared for their lives after refusing to auction their daughters’ virginity.

Selling girls as virgins is common within the sex trafficking industry.

In an intercepted call between members of a group, a young woman casually discusses her efforts to recruit “zero kilometers,” the code-name for virgins who’ve got no miles on them. She even offers her 11-year-old sister’s virginity.

This traffic is no longer just about the gangs, however. It has expanded.

A steady supply of customers find the auctions through referrals from sex trafficking networks.

After establishing trust, a customer may be granted access to a virgin auction, but it still costs a hefty fee.

This means almost every customer buys a young girl, because a bidder who has already fronted thousands for an entrance fee is not likely to leave empty-handed.

The combos continue to evade law enforcement. The secrecy of the networks also makes it difficult for girls to access basic health services and psychological care.








http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/03/19/the-pablo-escobar-legacy-virgin-auctions-in-medellin.html