Rio - In July, 2005, Brazil will have a national data bank on human trafficking, amassing information, investigations, and lawsuits from all the states. There will also be an internet site, the coordinator of the Ministry of Justice's Program to Combat Human Trafficking, Marina Oliveira, informed today.

Oliveira went on to say that, in January, the Program will establish an office to care for female victims of sexual exploitation in the state of Goiás, which, together with Ceará, where there are plans to open an office by June, 2005, is one of the principal spots where women are recruited. Priority will also be given to São Paulo, which has had an office since May, and Rio de Janeiro, which should receive one in July.

Oliveira participated in the 12th Special Meeting on Women in the Mercosur (REM) and presented a profile of the Brazilians who are sent abroad for purposes of prostitution. According to her, not much is known on this topic, but most victims are between 18 and 25 years old, are single mothers or have been abandoned by their husbands, and have two or three children.

"The number of cases of Brazilian women who have been trafficked is extremely underreported. Between 2000 and 2003, only 50 cases were registered in the states of Rio, São Paulo, Goiás, and Ceará. What is known is that Brazil is the country of origin of a sizable pórtion of the women who are exploited sexually in both Europe, mainly in Portugal and Spain, and the United States and countries along the Brazilian border, such as Surinam," Oliveira said.

She thinks that cooperation with other South American countries is fundamental, because many Brazilians who are sent abroad for purposes of prostitution are transported by way of neighboring countries. Marina recalled that Brazil shares borders with all the other South American countries, except Chile and Ecuador.

Agência Brasil
Reporter: Aline Beckestein
Translator: David Silberstein
11/12/2004