activism

Sex Strike in Colombia Sees Results

There’s always been some skepticism regarding the efficacy of sex strikes, but it appears that the crossed-leg movement in the Colombian town of Barbacoas might have actually worked. PRI reports that construction has resumed on the single road that connects the isolated town to the rest of civilization — the primary demand behind an off-and-on sex strike that has been going on for the past two years.

Women in the town began withholding sex in 2011 to protest the poor condition of the road, which is so bad that trips to the nearest hospital take up to fourteen hours, and many people in need of care die along the way. After 38 days of abstinence, town politicians stepped in, promising the road would be repaired.

But two years later, the situation remained unchanged. Some women resumed the strike, and this month, the Army Corps of Engineers has announced that they are indeed rebuilding the road, and have brought in bulldozers to prove it. Of course, there’s no guarantee the project will be seen through to the end — roads are in poor condition throughout the country, and political corruption and guerrilla warfare remain constant impediments to repairs. Still: “There appears to be a happy ending this time,” reporter John Otis told PRI, without a trace of irony.

Sex Strike in Colombia Sees Results