With the 2014 World Cup taking place, a massive influx of male tourists was supposed to boost sex tourism in Brazil. Some female workers even went as far as taking English lessons to ensure smoother dialogue with foreigners. But according to a recently published report from the Observatory of Prostitution, a team of researchers affiliated with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, the tournament did very little to increase the profitability of the industry in Brazil.
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The report concludes that out of 279 sex venues in Rio, only 16 have demonstrated an increase in sex workers. Women have even complained about a loss of clients due to the World Cup, seeing other points in the country practically empty thanks to the month-long event.
Rio de Janeiro's South Zone remains the principal destination for tourists looking to partake in sex tourism.
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Before the tournament, public officials and organizers feared the possible exploitation of underage girls. Girls as young as 11 years old were already walking the streets of Brazil according to a British charity, Happy Child International. "We know there are significant risks to children before, during and after major sporting events," the charity's founder and CEO Sarah de Carvalho said (via the Daily News). "The majority of fans and tourists traveling to Brazil for the World Cup would be horrified at the thought of causing harm to the nations children," he added.
"But unfortunately, some will take advantage."
Fortunately for all, not enough of the 600,000 international visitors took advantage of the system.
Note: You can find the Observatory of Prostitution report here.
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