Exploitation of Brazilians overseas sparks UN-backed debate

Brazilians living overseas—a community estimated to comprise 3 million people across 50 countries—have faced major difficulties linked to human trafficking, exploitation, gender-based violence, and mental health.

Ambassador Luiza Lopes da Silva, from the Consular Department for Brazilians Abroad of the Foreign Ministry

In order to increase the assistance provided to Brazilians living under risk outside of the country, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry held the 1st Conference on Consular Assistence: Traffic in Persons, Gender Violence, and Related Problems, in cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the European Union. The even took place this week in Brasília.

Ambassador Luiza Lopes da Silva, from the Consular Department for Brazilians Abroad of the Foreign Ministry, said problems can more easily be found in nine European countries, the US, Canada, French Guinea, Guiana, Suriname, Japan, Australia, and Lebanon.

Issues and disorders

In South America, dire cases include human trafficking, workers being exploited, and gender-based violence in Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana because of artisanal mining. “We have at least 30 thousand Brazilian artisanal miners there and after them there’s a whole community of Brazilians offering trade and services of all kinds, including prostitution,” the diplomat said.

In the US, with around 1.1 million Brazilians, most problems that reach consular stations are linked to domestic violence—in most cases Brazilian women married to foreign men, and exploitation.

“Poor language proficiency, the lack of the skills required to enter the labor market, financial need, the absence of a support network, and cultural shock with the spouse’s family make women vulnerable—this is particularly the case if there are small children, which makes divorce and their return to Brazil impossible,” Luiza Lopes pointed out.

In Canada, where Brazilians add up to 70 to 100 thousand, mental disorders are among the most common issues. Psychological problems stemming from isolation, the long and harsh winters, and the difficult adaptation to the new country are made all the worse by economic and professional challenges when immigrants have to cope with low-qualification posts, and even informal jobs. “Immigrants lose their cultural references and the support offered by a network of family and friends,” the ambassador went on to say.

In Europe, with approximately 1 million Brazilian nationals, the cases of trafficking in persons are predominantly linked to prostitution. In France and Italy, transsexual and transvestites are often reported as being targeted by the sex industry. “Members of the trans community are also victims of gender violence, and Brazilians are often found in these networks of exploitation,” she reported.

Japan

According to Ambassador Luiza Lopes, consular agents in Japan have to deal mostly with mental health issues involving drugs and alcohol, and violence against women. Also mentioned were abuse, mistreatment, and child neglect.

As the nearly 180 thousand Brazilians in Japan grow older, a new phenomenon has sparked concern among Brazilian officials: psychological and financial abuse of Brazilian elders by family members, with reports of neglect with victims facing poor health conditions or other difficulties related to old age.

In Australia and Lebanon, the most recurring problems are violence against women by their foreign husbands, which may result in disorders like anxiety and depression.

The ambassador noted that the first generation of immigrants is forced to cope with unexpected issues. “Few migrate under ideal conditions and start working in dream jobs. They face a number of difficulties and insecurities, submit to tough conditions, informal jobs with straining working hours, no legal security, violent husbands that use their visas to blackmail them. Many migrate without taking knowing any of this,” she concluded.