American Leads Fight Against Child Exploitation in Colombia

In Colombia, Tyler Schwab, a Mormon missionary from Wyoming, United States, has emerged as a bastion in the fight against child sexual exploitation that has taken hold in some of the most touristy areas of Medellin.

This 33-year-old American arrived in Colombia in 2019 to collaborate on a specific case of child abuse. Through his foundation Libertas International, he has become a reference in the fight against this crime, focusing on the treatment of trafficking victims in several Latin American countries, particularly Colombia.

American fights child exploitation in Central America

Schwab has dedicated himself to rescuing child and women victims of sexual trafficking in Latin American countries. After mission trips to Central American countries such as the Dominican Republic, the North American was moved by human trafficking for the first time, as narrated by the international media outlet Cowboy State Daily.

His operation in Medellin has led to several cases being issued to the United States Government. According to a report by the international newspaper El Pais, one of the known cases was that of an American pedophile who was trading child pornographic videos. The graphic pieces were allegedly recorded by a woman in Bello, Antioquia.

According to an interview with the Colombian magazine Bocas, Schwab explained that he grew up in a Mormon family dedicated to the funeral business and has been involved in missions in Central America since he was 19, speaking with victims and even pimps.

‘Libertas International’ combats child exploitation in Colombia

Schwab arrived in Medellin after working in other cities with the NGO Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), renowned for its global fight against human trafficking. “I received a call to go. I had been with OUR in Bogota and Cartagena, but I hadn’t been to Medellin before. The case was tough, Victor Galarza, a guy from New York used to abuse girls, record them, and post them on PornHub,” he recounted to the newspaper El Tiempo.

He continued: “That changed my life again. Colombia, I believe, is the best country in the world, but child sexual exploitation crimes remain concerning. At that moment, I was angry to see how Americans were exploiting the girls in Medellin and decided that was the reason to work there.”

Since 2019, Libertas International has provided support to more than 200 victims in Medellin. Girls, teenagers, and women receive specialized care called the “care pathway,” which includes legal accompaniment in courts and facilitation of opportunities for study and employment.