Inspectors rescue 479 victims of modern slavery in August
Brazilian authorities rescued 479 people of various nationalities from labor analogous to slavery from August 1 through 31. According to federal prosecutors, 75 victims were women, nine were working in domestic settings (1.9%), and 13 of those rescued were children or adolescents. Another notable feature of Operation Rescue VI is the origin of the exploited individuals. In addition to Brazilians,…
In August, Brazilian authorities rescued 479 individuals who were subjected to labor conditions akin to slavery, according to federal prosecutors. The rescues occurred from August 1 to August 31, with 75 victims being women, nine were domestic workers (slavery accounted for 1.9% of the rescued victims), and 13 were children or adolescents.
The rescued individuals hailed from various countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Venezuela, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau. The Southeast region of Brazil accounted for the majority of victims, with 55.7% (267) of the rescued individuals. The majority of rescues took place in rural areas, with 292 victims in total.
Coffee farming, onion farming, potato farming, and other seasonal crops were the sectors with the highest number of cases, with 53, 47, 44, and 43 victims respectively. In urban areas, 178 victims were rescued, representing 37.2% of the total. The operation, Operation Rescue VI, combines the efforts of various federal agencies, including prosecutors, labor inspectors, and the Federal Police.
During inspections conducted last month, employers were warned and required to cease operations and terminate employment contracts, resulting in the payment of BRL 1.4 million in back pay and severance. The rescued individuals faced charges for various violations, including child labor and failure to comply with health and safety regulations.
Additionally, 1,836 violation notices were issued, along with orders to suspend and embargo activities posing risks to workers' safety. A new law was enacted in July to expand protection for domestic workers, allowing inspectors to enter homes without a court order and prioritizing victims of labor slavery. The law also mandates the application of the Maria da Penha Law for protection, particularly for women.
Statistics show that domestic workers, predominantly women of color, are disproportionately affected by labor slavery.
Written by urgent.news from Agencia Brasil's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
