An Uncomfortable Advantage. 

Sex tourism in The Gambia is a controversial topic — but within the shadows of criticism lie undeniable benefits that have supported many individuals, families, and even sectors of the national economy. While it may not be politically correct to praise it, there are real advantages that cannot be ignored. For example, it reduces the number of men "going back way".

In a country where unemployment is a daily struggle — especially among youth — sex tourism offers a rare path to financial relief.

Young men and women, known colloquially as “bumsters”, often use charm, body, and wit as tools of survival. Whether you agree or not, many Gambians are feeding families, sending siblings to school, and building homes through these relationships with older foreign tourists.

In areas like Senegambia, Kololi, and Bakau, entire communities have become economically active because of this underground industry. Tailors, hairdressers, drivers, guesthouse owners, and small vendors benefit from the spillover.

Many of the "bumsters" are people without support from families for many reasons, for example because a women gets pregnant out of wedlock.

And while some relationships begin as “paid companionship,” not all remain transactional. Some tourists end up falling in love, marrying their Gambian partners, and relocating them abroad.

In many cases:

Spouses sponsor education for their partners.

Houses are built in The Gambia.

Families are supported through monthly remittances.

Children are born into better economic circumstances.

These marriages, while sometimes unconventional, bring a level of cross-cultural exchange and mobility that many Gambians would never have had access to otherwise.

Some tourists don’t just fly in for romance — they invest in the country because of personal attachments.

Buy or build homes for their partners.

Start bars, restaurants, or small shops that create jobs.

Help their partners open salons, boutiques, or guesthouses.

These investments inject foreign currency into the Gambian economy and support micro enterprises that wouldn’t otherwise get off the ground.

In a tourism-dependent country with limited formal opportunities, this kind of informal investment has helped sustain livelihoods where banks and government loans never reach.

One reason sex tourism thrives in The Gambia is that the country is uniquely accepting.

The population is incredibly diverse, multilingual, and tolerant.

Black, white, Arab, queer, straight — everyone blends in easily.

Tourists describe The Gambia as “safe,” “easygoing,” and “relaxing.”

This atmosphere makes it a preferred destination for older tourists seeking not just warmth and beauty, but also companionship, care, and attention — things many feel they’ve lost in their home countries.

Many of the tourists involved in sex tourism are retirees. They arrive in The Gambia seeking youth, affection, and someone to care for them in their old age.

In return, they offer:

Financial security

Support to extended families

Healthcare support or sponsorship

Sometimes even land or property

In many cases, these relationships become mutual caregiving arrangements: the elderly tourist gets comfort, attention, and care; the local partner gets stability, exposure, and a chance to improve their life.

Some tourists go beyond just giving money. They:

Pay for English or IT lessons for their partners.

Help them learn how to manage money.

Teach basic business skills or how to deal with customers.

In turn, some Gambians have used that opportunity to rise beyond transactional tourism, starting legit businesses or even becoming tour guides, agents, or NGO workers.

Sex tourism may not be The Gambia’s proudest export, but for thousands, it’s a path to survival, opportunity, and even growth. Not everyone in these relationships is a victim. Not every tourist is a predator. And in a struggling economy, sometimes unconventional avenues become the only open doors.

Instead of demonizing those involved, it’s time we acknowledge the role sex tourism has played in sustaining households, generating income, and connecting worlds that otherwise would never have met.

If The Gambia wants to move beyond sex tourism, it must first understand how it helped people — and then create better, safer alternatives that still offer the same human connection, dignity, and economic hope.

It was a cold, shattering dawn on July 17th when the long hunt came to an end. In the heart of Dakar, police finally arrested El Hadji Babacar Dioum — known in the darkest corners of the internet as “Kocc Barma.” But for countless Senegalese women, his name had already haunted them for years, whispered in fear, shame, and unspoken pain.

For seven long years, the Division Spéciale de Cybersécurité (DSC) had been tracing shadows. Behind fake profiles and encrypted screens, someone was orchestrating a digital reign of terror —uploading explicit videos without consent, extorting money, and destroying lives with a single click. Young girls. Mothers. Wives. No one was spared. Many suffered in silence, afraid of the shame, the stigma, and the disbelief.

Now, authorities say they have their man. The raid on Dioum’s home was like tearing through a horror film in real time —hundreds of deeply personal videos, hard drives full of digital scars, unregistered firearms, stacks of hidden cash. And worst of all: evidence that the pain was real, deliberate, and orchestrated.

He says he’s not “Kocc Barma.” But the investigators say otherwise. The devices speak. The platforms match. The victims remember. And the weight of seven years of tears won’t lie.

Even his own wife is now under investigation — blurring the lines between accomplice and victim, complicity and survival.

The arrest has shaken Senegal’s soul. It’s not just a scandal. It’s a reckoning.

A nation is now forced to confront the unspoken epidemic of digital exploitation. Parents are afraid. Young girls are deleting their pasts. And survivors — some still just children — are gathering the courage to speak, even as the world scrolls past.

This isn’t just about one man. It’s about the quiet, collective trauma of an entire generation. It’s about justice delayed for years — and the price of silence in the digital age.

Mazie Dwyer, a 24-year-old indigenous witch based in New Canaan, Connecticut, is part of this modern magical movement. Born with what she calls clairvoyance, Dwyer’s journey started early—with tarot readings and an intuitive sensitivity that later expanded into reiki and somatic healing. Now, through Etsy, she offers tailored spells for romance, healing, and removing third parties — an especially popular request in today’s age of poly-lust and broken trust.

Her prices range from $20 to $200, but she makes one thing clear: she doesn’t guarantee outcomes. That, she says, would break both her ethical code and Etsy’s policies. Instead, she aligns with her clients’ intentions and harnesses her intuitive drive “to genuinely help people.”

Still, the demand is unmistakable — and growing. Between economic instability, burnout, and soulless swiping on dating apps, thousands are searching for something more soulful. And witches like Dwyer are filling that void.

But there’s a twist.

Etsy, the very platform empowering these metaphysical entrepreneurs, has quietly declared war on the spiritual services that made it famous. The company explicitly prohibits listings that advertise metaphysical outcomes — think "find love," "win court cases," or "get rich spells." Instead, sellers must now include a tangible product, such as a crystal or spell jar, and steer clear of outcome - based language. Yet despite the rules, many shops still openly promise love, revenge, and transformation.

Why does Etsy walk this strange tightrope — hosting witches while policing their craft? Is it legal liability? Ethical ambiguity? Or capitalism’s awkward embrace of mysticism, as long as it comes with a shipping label?

The rise of witches like Mazie Dwyer reveals more than a quirky cultural trend. It exposes a global crisis of trust— trust in love, money, opportunity, and institutions. When dating apps feel robotic, work feels meaningless, and therapy feels expensive, people turn to magic.

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This integration guarantees consistency, traceability, and cost control—earning Lalan’s reputation among the best Glove Manufacturers Sri Lanka.