Forced prostitution of women and girls in Brazil.

Abstract

In Para and Maranhao States in Brazil, women and young girls are enticed from their towns by the promise of jobs in mining encampments and near large civil construction sites only to be sold into servitude in brothels. The women are virtually slaves who are told they must work as prostitutes to pay their transportation costs and other debts incurred (such as the purchase of medicine to treat malaria). Once this is done, the women must reimburse the brothel owners for the price paid for them. Since the brothel owners collect the client's money directly and transportation costs out of the area are high, few women can leave. Those who try to escape are beaten, tortured, or even killed. The local police are allegedly party to this situation. After publication of this situation in 1992, federal police raided a number of brothels, released more than 70 prostitutes, including many minors, and arrested 10 brothel owners. There is evidence that this problem is widespread in Amazonia, despite the fact that Brazil has ratified several international conventions designed to outlaw slavery and forced prostitution and to protect children.