British police issue warning to England fans over Brazil’s under-age prostitutes

Criminal organisations are looking to exploit the influx of football fans for this year’s World Cup by dressing up children as adult prostitutes for financial gain, British police have warned. Prison sentences can be expected for under-age sex in South America or Britain and Brazil is emerging as one of the most significant destinations for […]
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sambafoot_admin
2014-02-05 17:43:00

Criminal organisations are looking to exploit the influx of football fans for this year’s World Cup by dressing up children as adult prostitutes for financial gain, British police have warned.

Prison sentences can be expected for under-age sex in South America or Britain and Brazil is emerging as one of the most significant destinations for travelling child sex abusers.

Despite being illegal in Brazil to pay for sex with a child aged 17 and under, girls as young as 11 are dressed to look older than they are and forced into the sex trade.

“Brazilian children suffer abuse in the commercial sex trade and may have their appearance manipulated to look older,” said Johnny Gwynne, the head of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre.

“They are children and they are being threatened and intimidated to make money.”

The country is thought to be second only to Thailand for the commercial sexual exploitation of children, according to the National Crime Agency.

Approximately 600,000 foreign visitors are expected to visit Brazil for the World Cup.