International

Inhygienic conditions and risky sexual acts: the reality of webcamers in Colombia

Webcam women who work in studios in Colombia, a country considered a “mecca” for this industry, are exposed to unhygienic conditions, forced to risky sexual practices and subjected to 18-hour days without breaks, according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report published this Monday.

The report “‘I learned to say no’: Labor abuse and sexual exploitation in Colombian webcam studies”, based on the 18-month work of researchers with two sex workers’ organizations in Colombia and interviews with more than fifty webcam women, exposes the violations of labor rights and sexual exploitation in Colombian studies in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali and Palmira.

Colombia, the country with the most webcam women

It is estimated that Colombia is the country with the largest number of webcamers who work mainly in studios, where they are victims of labor exploitation and in precarious conditions, even subject to sexual abuse.

“Sexual exploitation is not inherent to webcam models, but our study indicates that the risk of exploitation in Colombian studies is extremely high,” says HRW researcher Erin Kilbride.

The author of the investigation points out that “sex workers deserve the same labor protections as all workers under international human rights law, but the webcam industry, which moves billions of dollars, has largely avoided scrutiny of abuses in its supply chains.”

20250701_dengue_728x90

20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90

20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90

20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

20231124_etesal_728x90_1

20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90

domfuturo_netview-728x90

20240604_dom_728x90

CEL

The case of María

María, 33, works from a 1×2 meter cubicle, separated by curtains, in a studio in Bogotá where she works 12-hour shifts doing sexual transmissions for men around the world.

Every day she receives the cubicle with body fluids, cigarette ash and hair from the previous worker because the study does not hire people to clean, but more than the deplorable hygienic conditions, “the worst is the mental health problems,” especially because of the constant surveillance to which she is subjected by the owners.

“A spectator wanted me to simulate a rape and I didn’t want to, but I needed the money. (…) Normally, if a client wants something that I don’t, I simply say ‘no’ and leave the chat. But the owners of the studio constantly harassed me and entered the cubicle (when they saw me say ‘no’ to a client). Streaming platforms allow you to report abusive users, but it is impossible to report violence in the studio,” says the young woman.

Maria’s story is repeated in other interviewees. A 29-year-old transgender Bolivian woman who worked in a studio in Bogotá said that when she asked her manager to finish a penetration performance due to extreme pain, she told her that she could not stop because it damaged her score on the web.

Another model was forced to insert a glass bottle for fear that it would break inside.

20250701_dengue_728x90

20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90

20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90

20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

20231124_etesal_728x90_1

20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90

domfuturo_netview-728x90

20240604_dom_728x90

CEL

Abuses of “studies”

On average, studies keep between 50 and 65% of the income of young women, some even reach 70%, and in the workplace there are from lack of ventilation to bedbugs and cockroaches.

“Working conditions include wage theft, fines for taking breaks to eat and go to the bathroom, and computer keyboards, mice and furniture covered with body fluids from other employees. The workers developed rashes and infections and lacked mental health support,” the report highlights.

In addition, they are subjected to verbal abuse and threats by the owners of the studios, who force them to work many hours without food or water and to perform sexual acts to which they had not given their consent.

All those interviewed for the report freely chose to work as webcam models, but all of them felt surprised, disappointed or deceived by the conditions of their work, including learning about their salary or the sexual acts they were forced to perform, the report indicates.

20250701_dengue_728x90

20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90

20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90

20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

20231124_etesal_728x90_1

20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90

domfuturo_netview-728x90

20240604_dom_728x90

CEL

International

Texas opens major migrant detention center amid civil rights protests

The East Montana Camp, poised to become one of the largest U.S. migrant detention facilities for housing foreigners awaiting deportation in tents, officially opened on a military base in Texas despite protests from civil rights advocates.

Operations began this Sunday with an initial capacity of approximately 1,000 beds at Fort Bliss, the largest installation of the U.S. Armed Forces Command. Authorities plan to expand the facility to house up to 5,000 people, making it one of the country’s largest migrant detention centers, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official who spoke to EFE.

The center is expected to hold immigrants with final deportation orders, according to Republican Senator from Texas John Cornyn, who visited the site last week.

“These are people with firm deportation orders. They have no legal recourse. They have no legal right to be here,” Cornyn said, as reported by The Hill.

The senator added that the facility must remain open to Congressional oversight and media access, in response to Democratic lawmakers’ complaints about being denied entry to migrant centers, where cases of negligence have been reported.

20250701_dengue_728x90

20250715_donacion_sangre_central_728x90

20250701_vacunacion-influenza-728x90

20250701_vacunacion_vph-728x90

20250501_mh_noexigencia_dui_728x90

20231124_etesal_728x90_1

20230601_agenda_primera_infancia_728X90

domfuturo_netview-728x90

20240604_dom_728x90

CEL

International

NYPD declares suspicious Times Square package safe after investigation

The police reported that a suspicious package was found near West 43rd Street and Seventh Avenue around 10:30 a.m. local time (14:30 GMT), directly above the Times Square subway station connected to the Port Authority terminal.

The New York Police Department’s Bomb Squad was deployed, and officers closed streets and pedestrian areas for nearly two hours while the package was investigated.

By 11:53 a.m., NYPD officials confirmed that the item was not dangerous, and the streets were reopened shortly afterward.

The incident is still under investigation.

International

Three arrested in Dubai hours after $25 million pink diamond theft

Dubai police reported on Monday that they arrested three thieves just hours after a valuable pink diamond worth $25 million was stolen.

“The General Command of Dubai Police thwarted the theft of a very rare pink diamond valued at $25 million,” the police said in a statement shared by the official UAE news agency, WAM.

According to authorities, a diamond dealer who had brought the gem from Europe was lured to a mansion by a criminal gang under the pretense of a meeting with a wealthy client interested in the piece. However, the diamond was stolen when the dealer arrived, the statement added.

Within eight hours, three suspects from an unspecified Asian country were arrested, “thanks to the efforts of specialized teams and field units, and through the use of the latest artificial intelligence technologies,” the police said.

A video released by Dubai’s media office showed the three men with blurred faces following their arrest.