By Natalia Rueda 
The case of Gabriella Marbella González, also known as ItsMarbella on Tik Tok, has once again highlighted the serious problem of sex tourism in Colombia. Marbella is a young model from Medellin, Colombia who has denounced publicly a sexual assault committed on her in the outskirts of Medellin.
The young woman’s brave denunciation, shared through her personal TikTok account, has generated a wave of indignation in society by revealing how she was a victim of sexual abuse by Jesse Allen Stream, a U.S. citizen who calls himself ‘The Hollywood Hustle‘ on social networks.
‘Jesse’, who presents himself as a music producer for independent artists, contacted Marbella offering her work on a music video for a supposedly international artist. He arranged to meet her at a farm on the outskirts of Medellín, in Copacabana. After completing the filming, Marbella decided to go to sleep and the next morning, she reports that this man entered her room heavily drugged and naked, proceeding to physically and sexually assault her, threatening her life in the process.
She managed to escape and filed a formal complaint with Medellin’s police for violent “carnal access” which is a direct translation of Colombia’s notion of sexual assault. Marbella describes spending five days in the emergency room, with her body severely beaten and her dignity destroyed. Despite medication to mitigate the physical pain, she recognizes that the emotional trauma will be a permanent wound.
In a video denunciation recalling the event, Marbella calls for justice to her case, urging authorities to take action and locate Stream. She also urges other possible victims to speak out and denounce the abuse. Her testimony has sparked the solidarity within her community, which expresses its outrage at the perception that some foreigners visit Colombia for the sole purpose of sexually exploiting women.
— Credit @Itsmarbellagc / TikTokThe case has also brought under scrutiny two women named as accomplices of Stream, who allegedly acted as his secretaries and kept silent about his crimes. Colombian society is demanding that all those implicated in these acts be brought to justice, reflecting a growing intolerance towards sex tourism and the exploitation of vulnerable women in the country.
It is enough that the authorities allow this type of crime to continue happening, this is a reality in Colombia. Nevertheless, this case becoming viral thanks to the courage of women like Marbella who decide to denounce their aggressor and fight for justice to be done. However, one thing to consider is how many women do not manage to get out alive from these terrible crimes? How many cases have not gone unpunished?