The Epstein files have unveiled not only London's connections to the American financier and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein but also the significant role of Barcelona. The Catalan capital emerges as a hub for Epstein's activities, as detailed by his close associate Daniel Siad, who sent photos, profiles, and travel updates of young women to Epstein, facilitating introductions under the guise of model casting.
Epstein's Presence in Barcelona
Both Epstein and Siad were active in central Barcelona from 2017 onwards. Siad noted that Barcelona provided a safer base for recruitment compared to Paris, citing the decriminalisation of sex work and the large influx of tourists offering relative anonymity. Siad has denied any wrongdoing, claiming his interactions with Epstein were limited to legitimate modelling business. Epstein himself visited Barcelona many times after 2009, staying at the W Hotel on the waterfront, frequenting Soho House, and dining at the Hotel Ohla's roof terrace. In 2011, he wrote to a friend, 'I'm in Dubai and I can still hear Barcelona's gasps.'
Local Reactions and the Darker Side of Tourism
While many residents and tourists associate Barcelona with Gaudí's architecture, the Mediterranean coastline, and vibrant dining, the city's role in Epstein's exploitative network has shocked some. However, those working with marginalised communities were not surprised, sparking fierce debate about the city's sex trade, trafficking prevalence, and how overtourism has contributed to its reputation as 'the Miami of the Med,' where anything can be acquired with cash and connections.
Barcelona, as a port city at the European crossroads, has an international and inclusive spirit. Around 25 per cent of its population is foreign-born. However, the intersection of tourism and migration with a booming sex trade is less documented, as exposed by the Epstein files with hundreds of messages between Epstein and young women hoping to enter modelling.
The Sex Trade in Spain
Young women from around the world, particularly Eastern Europe, are brought to Barcelona, seeking opportunity and glamour in fashion. But while the city became a safe haven for abusers, it was not for victims. Spain is now the third-largest market for prostitution globally, behind Thailand and Puerto Rico. The sex trade and illegal drugs contribute an estimated €11 million to GDP, according to 2014 data, though a 2016 UN study estimated the Spanish sex trade at €3.7 billion.
Since Barcelona's 1992 Olympics regeneration, mass tourism and confusing municipal regulations have created conditions ripe for exploitation. Spain decriminalised sex work in 1995, initially seen as progressive. However, post-Olympics, the city's reputation as a glamorous, party destination shaped sex tourism. Initiatives to 'clean up' the city centre for tourists forced sex workers into less safe areas, and punitive local regulations placed adult consensual sex work into a legal grey area, leaving many workers more open to exploitation.
Legal Ambiguity and Its Consequences
Spain's prostitution laws are confusing: running a brothel is neither fully legal nor illegal. It is illegal only to live directly off prostituting others, which brothel-owners circumvent by obtaining hospitality licenses. Irene Adán, general secretary of Sindicato Otras, a Spanish sex workers' union, explains: 'Municipal policies are often justified as coexistence or security measures, but in cities like Madrid and Barcelona, the underlying reason is to protect the urban image in tourist-heavy areas. Prostitution is only tolerated as long as it is not visible.'
This has shifted activity to indoor spaces under third-party control, such as clubs and apartments with hospitality licenses, increasing insecurity and dangerous clandestine activity. When work is pushed into poorly lit industrial parks or peripheral highways, risk increases, Adán notes.
Sex Workers' Perspectives
Angeli Martinez, a sex worker from Medellín, Colombia, who has lived in Barcelona for eight years, says: 'Technically, my work is legal, but the attitude of the police and local authorities emboldens men seeking sex while disempowering workers. Some girls make huge money for clients booking them online or through model agencies for yacht or hotel callouts, but most of us see falling rates. Barcelona has a reputation as a city where you can get anything cheaper, including sex.'
This attitude has increased human trafficking via organised criminal networks. In 2023, police rescued 1,466 victims of trafficking and exploitation, including 18 minors, with 294 specifically for sexual exploitation, three of them minors. However, it is crucial to differentiate between trafficking victims and migrant sex workers. Martinez notes that everyone she knows in the industry works because it's their best option, but she hears of women from Romania or Bulgaria trafficked by gangs.
Clients and Brothels
Many travel to Barcelona specifically for sex, especially from France, where laws are stricter. One of Europe's biggest brothels, Club Paradise, north of Barcelona near the French border, exemplifies this. At the higher end, clubs like Felina and sex workers operating from hotel roof terraces advertise online, with rates from €150 for half an hour to €5,500 for a whole night.
Javier Moreno, a retired hotel manager, observes: 'There's much discourse about tourist numbers but not enough about the type of tourists attracted. Barcelona is marketed as a beach and party destination, with huge sports events and business conventions. When I started, it was a cultural city break; now, it's a playground for men of all ages.'
The Epstein files have reignited debate on how European cities handle sex trafficking, sex tourism, and sex work. One thing is clear: Barcelona needs to become safe for the women who live and work there, not just a safe haven for predators like Jeffrey Epstein.
