Despite significant national and international concern regarding the commercial sexual exploitation of children and adolescents (CSECA) in Brazil, its true extent remains largely unknown, relying on unscientific assumptions for policy responses. The study Prevalence of Commercial Sexual Exploitation in Recife, Brazil, conducted by researchers from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and Gestos, aimed to estimate the number of young females in the Metropolitan Region of Recife who have experienced CSECA, examine the violence and exploitation they endure, and provide evidence to inform child protection policies. To achieve these goals, respondent-driven sampling (RDS) recruited 602 women aged 18 to 21 who participated in commercial sex before age 18.
Key findings indicate that from 2018 to 2021, an estimated 16.7% of girls aged 14 to 17 in the region experienced CSECA, equating to about 22,500 survivors. Most reported being coerced into CSECA due to poverty and domestic violence rather than gang abduction. Notably, many perpetrators were acquaintances, with 58.4% known to the victims. The report emphasises the influence of socio-economic vulnerabilities and government enforcement gaps, advocating for a holistic approach addressing familial, community, and social factors that perpetuate CSECA. Recommendations include improving and developing CSEC prevention methodologies in schools and communities and identifying effective practices that can serve as a model for broader implementation in the child and adolescent protection system.
Click here or on the image below to access the report (Portuguese only).
