"Tons of young people wow"That's how one of them referred to it." scout Jeffrey Epstein's preferred (top model selector) to the young women he had recruited for one of the many stays they were organizing in Ibiza some fifteen years ago. He wrote this in an email sent in 2010, in which photo shoots with high-profile models were apparently being arranged. The constant references to age and the comments in the messages between the American magnate—who committed suicide in 2019 in prison in New York—and his associates confirm that Ibiza played a key role in the network of influence and international business spaces, with the backdrop of the company of young women, always identified girls in communications.

The Civil Guard has dismantled a criminal organization in Mallorca dedicated to trafficking women for sexual exploitation. The operation resulted in the arrest of five people—four men and one woman—and the rescue of twelve undocumented immigrant women, most of them from South America, especially Colombia. According to the investigation, the group recruited the victims in their countries of origin with false job offers in the hospitality sector in Spain. Once they arrived on the island, they were forced into prostitution under threats, coercion, and constant control, taking advantage of their vulnerability and fear of deportation. The women lived in a constant climate of intimidation, and, as detailed by the Civil Guard, many were forced to use and transport drugs, often at the insistence of clients. This situation prevented them from accessing healthcare, police services, or other social services. The criminal network profited from both direct payments for sexual services and the sale of drugs and sexual enhancers. Investigators believe the organization may have exploited up to fifty women over the years. Once the perpetrators were identified, officers carried out three raids on homes in several municipalities in Mallorca, seizing cash, doses of drugs prepared for sale, and firearms, including shotguns and rifles. Following the arrests, the victim protection protocol was activated. The women were taken to safe houses, where they have begun a comprehensive support process and have been informed of their rights. The investigation remains open, and authorities have not ruled out locating additional members of the network or the emergence of new witnesses who could uncover other recruitment and exploitation methods. The operation was coordinated by the Court of Instruction number 3 of Inca, under the direction of the Prosecutor's Office for Trafficking in Human Beings and Immigration of the Balearic Islands, and involved various specialized units of the Civil Guard.

The National Police have freed 15 women of Chinese origin in Palma, victims of sexual exploitation who were recruited through social media advertisements by a criminal organization from that Asian country. As part of the operation, 14 people have been arrested—12 in the Balearic Islands and two in Barcelona—seven of whom have been remanded in custody by court order. According to a statement released by the Police this Saturday, those arrested include 13 Chinese nationals and one Spanish citizen. The investigation has dismantled a network that forced the victims to be available 24 hours a day, under constant surveillance, and to provide sexual services both in apartments and at clients' homes. The women had no freedom of movement and, according to the investigation, were even "bought and sold" between different exploitative organizations to be moved from one location to another. In some cases, they were forced to have sex without condoms, so the network charged clients a higher price.

Women between 25 and 44 years old, with low levels of education and family responsibilities. This is the predominant profile of prostitution in the Balearic Islands, according to a statement released Monday by Doctors of the World to raise awareness of the situation of women in prostitution on the occasion of November 25th – International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. The organization has assisted 1,215 prostitutes throughout 2025. "Prostitution is one of the most serious forms of gender-based violence and has profound consequences for the physical, sexual, and mental health of those who suffer it. It is a public health problem of epidemic proportions that demands the active involvement of healthcare systems," the statement reads. Doctors of the World warns of the impact that prostitution has "on the mental health" of the women who engage in it. "Among the most frequent consequences are depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep and eating problems, alcohol and other drug use, as well as self-harm and suicide attempts," the organization states. In the area of sexual and reproductive health, "unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy complications, miscarriages, hemorrhaging, chronic pelvic infections, and painful intercourse are common." According to the organization's data in the Canary Islands, most of these women are foreign nationals, from countries such as Colombia, Venezuela, and Paraguay. Many of them come from contexts of structural poverty or conflict zones. Furthermore, a high percentage are undocumented in the islands. This irregular status "limits their access to basic rights and essential public services, including healthcare." Thus, "it increases their vulnerability and dependence on exploitation networks." Doctors of the World also warns that, in recent years, there has been an increase in "the turnover of women in prostitution spaces due to the constant demand for sexual services." This prevents "their integration into society and hinders continuity of care," the statement notes. Doctors of the World considers prostitution "a form of gender-based violence and a manifestation of structural inequality inseparable from human trafficking for sexual exploitation." "This violence would not be possible without those who perpetrate and sustain it: the pimps, who profit by exploiting women, and the clients, whose demand fuels and perpetuates the prostitution system. Both are aggressors who contribute directly to the violation of women's rights, dignity, and freedom," the statement concludes.

Lluís Ballester Brague (Galicia, 1960) holds a PhD in Sociology (UAB) and Philosophy (UIB), a degree in Social Work, and a professor of Research Methods at the University of the Balearic Islands. His main lines of research have focused on prevention based on family competence programs, the sociology of youth, and the impact of pornography on childhood and adolescence. This Friday, October 10, at 8:00 p.m., in the auditorium of s'Agrícola, he will give a lecture entitledThe connection between Internet pornography and changes in prostitution, presented by Manacor-born doctor Antoni Truyols.

Prostitution in Palma is increasingly delocalized and digitalized. This was one of the main conclusions of the technical workshop "Delocalized Prostitution: Local Approaches to a Global Problem," organized by Palma City Council and held this Thursday. This is the first event planned to address this "increasingly present and invisible" problem, according to the University Business Foundation of the Balearic Islands.

The report Identification of cases of trafficking for sexual exploitation The 2024 report prepared by the Palma City Council's Technical Equality Unit determines that one in three women engaged in prostitution in Palma is a victim of human trafficking or exploitation. Furthermore, it estimates that there are at least 447 victims of sexual exploitation in Palma.