Colombian mother, Margarita de Jesus Zapata Moreno, proves that the selling and purchase of young girls' virginity is still booming business, by selling the virginity of her twelve daughters for $200 -$300 per girl, once they reached the age of 12.

Zapata, 45, was detained after one of daughters, now 16-years-old and pregnant, contacted the police after her mother told her to terminate her pregnancy -- a pregnancy which is the result of alleged sexual abuse.

The father of that child, a 51-year-old man by the name of Tito Cornelio Daza, was arrested as well.

The mother of 14 forced 12 of her girls to prostitute themselves to pay bills, and provide for the family. She often drugged the minors before she forced them to have sexual exchanges with the men. In addition to being prostituted, the girls also suffered regular sexual abuse, since the age of 12.

Both are accused of carnal abuse of a minor under 14 years old, and the enforcement of prostitution. Zapata and Daza deny the allegations. Now at El Buen Pastro prison, Zapata faces up to 10 years in prison if she is convicted. And, Daza, who is being held at Modelo Prison, may serve the same, though competing reports from El Tiempo report that the two could face up to 25 years in prison.

"It hurts that a mother would do this," police Chief Carlos Melendez, investigating the case, told reporters. "The mother contacted highly solvent, but depraved men so they could have sex with the minors when they turned 12," he added.

Zapata's had her first nine children with a single companion, the next two with another, and her last child, a 9-year-old, with the man whom she apparently still lives with. Zapata was also apparently caring for the child of one her other daughters, conceived under violent circumstances, as well.

The "Virgin Prostitute" has a market in many countries, particularly in third world nations. Men often travel from America and Europe, seeking young girls in South America or Asia to take advantage of, happy to pay a slightly higher price because they get a chance to snuff innocence. Univision estimates that 20 million victims worldwide suffer the crime of being made into "Virgin Prostitutes."

The two children who were not subjected to sex work, a 9-year-old girl and an 11-year old boy, are now in the care of social services. The daughter who phoned the authorities is receiving psychological help from the Family Welfare Institute and is suffering from physical, mental and emotional stress.

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