Michèlle Canes
Reporter - Agencia Brasil

Brasilia – The non-governmental organization (NGO), World Vision, campaign to combat sexual tourism is based on data gathered by Professor Maria Lúcia Pinto Leal, of the Brasilia University (UnB). According to the researcher, of the 5 thousand plus Brazilian municipalities, 930 present great numbers of cases of sexual tourism. She says that the Northeast leads the rank, followed by the Southeast, South, Central West and North regions.

The Professor emphasizes that it is necessary to strengthen the programs that have the objective of combating this crime, although, furthermore, it is also necessary to establish policies in three government levels: federal, state, and municipal. "Campaigns alone won’t matter if there is not a clear policy to combat poverty and the lack of punishment."

Leal also revealed that among the exploited children and adolescents, the majority are black girls between 15-25 years old. "They have already suffered violence in their households, have already been exploited. They leave their cities and receive several misleading proposals to improve their lives."

Translation: Andréa Alves