Child Protection at Factory Lofts
Protecting children is part of who we are — a discipline we never relax.
Protecting children is part of who we are
Factory Lofts is a working building — lofts where people stay, and a coworking community where people build their days. A building that is open to work and to travellers still has a door, and a door has rules. Ours exist, above all, to protect children.
There is no booking, no long stay, no membership and no amount of money that buys an exception to those rules. We would rather lose a guest than look the other way. A child is never, under any circumstance, responsible for harm done to them — the adult is, always.
We are families, too
We are mothers and fathers. We are sons and daughters — every one of us, whatever our age, is somebody's child. Everyone connected to this building — the staff at the door, our cleaning and maintenance teams, our managers, our owners and investors, our suppliers — is a family person, and many of us are raising children of our own right here in Medellín. And most importantly, so are our guests and members: families who trust us with the most precious thing they have. That is why this is not a policy to us, and it never was. Protecting children is personal.
Why this page exists — the problem is real
We do not publish this page because it looks good. We publish it because the problem is real, including in our city.
children recorded as victims of commercial sexual exploitation offences in Colombia between 2015 and 2025 (DANE, from Fiscalía records) — 2,093 of them in 2025 alone. Those are only the cases that reached the authorities; every serious study warns that the true number is higher.
reported victims per 100,000 minors in Antioquia in 2025 — well above the national rate of 14.6.
people and 1,648 tourism businesses sensitized on prevention protocols by Medellín's Tourism Secretariat.
school students trained since 2025 through the “Guardians, ¡Me Protejo!” programme, run with the Child and Adolescent Police and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.
Medellín Cómo Vamos, the city's independent quality-of-life observatory, describes this exploitation in Medellín as a phenomenon that is difficult to measure, but whose gravity and presence in the city are undeniable — and notes that official alerts rose in recent years even where police-processed cases fell. Under-reporting is part of the problem, never a reason for comfort.
Medellín's intersectoral working group against this exploitation (Mesa Intersectorial contra la ESCNNA) identifies hotels, short-stay apartments and platform-rented homes among the settings where abuse can occur. That is exactly why lodging operators cannot treat this as somebody else's problem: our doors are one of the places where prevention works.
No property can solve this alone, and we do not pretend otherwise. Protection works when families, communities, businesses and public authorities each do their part — and Medellín is doing real work. The city's Tourism Secretariat has sensitized 4,473 people and 1,648 tourism businesses on prevention protocols; more than 20,000 school students have been trained since 2025 through the “Guardians, ¡Me Protejo!” programme, run with the Child and Adolescent Police and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations; and migration screening at the airport turns away suspected offenders before they reach the city. We are glad to stand alongside that effort. This page is our part of it.
What we do — every day, without exceptions
Everyone is registered
Every guest, resident and visitor is registered before entering, with a valid government identity document — a cédula for Colombians, a passport for foreign visitors. No registration, no entry. There are no exceptions for cash payments, long stays or repeat guests.
Children stay with their parents or legal guardians
Our staff verify the relationship with documents, as Colombian law requires (Ley 1336 de 2009). If the documents do not prove the relationship, we refuse admission — politely, but firmly.
Our team is trained
Staff learn the warning signs of exploitation and exactly what to do when they see them. Protecting a child always takes priority over a booking.
House rules are enforced
Prostitution, unregistered visitors and any illegal activity are prohibited in the building, and the rules are applied to everyone equally — guests, residents and coworking members alike.
Concerns are acted on immediately
Suspected exploitation is escalated to management and reported to the Policía de Infancia y Adolescencia and the Fiscalía General de la Nación, and our registration records are preserved for the authorities.
We are a registered provider
Factory Lofts is registered in the Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT) and applies the code of conduct for the prevention of the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents required under Ley 679 de 2001 and Ley 1336 de 2009.
Our commitment
Our child-protection policy follows The Code — The Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children in Travel and Tourism, run by ECPAT International — and the Colombian code of conduct for the prevention of the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents under Ley 679 de 2001 and Ley 1336 de 2009. The rules on this page are applied at our door every day, to every guest and visitor, without exceptions.
The Code certificate
Factory Lofts' certificate will be published here once it is issued and on file.
If something feels wrong, tell us
You do not need proof, and you will be taken seriously. Speak to reception or building management, at any hour — or contact the authorities directly:
And if you are a parent travelling with your children: welcome. The document checks at our door apply to everyone equally — they are how we keep every child in this building safe, including yours.
Frequently asked questions
Can a minor stay at Factory Lofts with an adult who is not their parent?
Only with documents proving legal guardianship or authorization, verified by our staff before admission, as Colombian law requires. Without that proof, admission is refused.
Does Factory Lofts allow unregistered visitors?
No. Every person staying in, working in or visiting a loft must be registered with a valid identity document.
What happens if staff suspect exploitation of a minor?
The concern is escalated immediately to management and reported to the Policía de Infancia y Adolescencia and the Fiscalía, and registration records are preserved for the authorities.
Hospitality is trust. Medellín's children are this city's future, and keeping them safe is work that belongs to all of us. We are proud to do our part.
— The team at Factory Lofts
Sources: DANE, Caracterización Estadística sobre Explotación Sexual Comercial de Niñas, Niños y Adolescentes (CEESCNNA), data to December 31, 2025 · Medellín Cómo Vamos, Calidad de vida de la primera infancia en Medellín (2024) · Mesa Intersectorial contra la ESCNNA de Medellín, Análisis de la situación de la ESCNNA en Medellín y recomendaciones de abordaje 2024–2027 · Alcaldía de Medellín, prevention balance, September 2026.