Police target places vulnerable to sexual exploitation of children

Brazil is targeting 5,731 vulnerable points along federal highways where sexual exploitation of children and adolescents is prevalent. These areas, have been monitored through the Mapear project conducted by the Federal Highway Police from January to May of this year.

In 2023, the Federal Highway Police undertook three major operations in these vulnerable points, at different times of the day, in an effort to apprehend perpetrators and address irregularities. These operations led to the arrest of 102 individuals involved in 11 flagrant cases of sexual exploitation. Additionally, 138 minors were rescued from vulnerable situations, including child labor, children in areas where alcohol was consumed, and potential victims of sexual abuse.

On Wednesday (May 31), Federal Highway Police Human Rights coordinator Liamara Pires disclosed in Brasília data of the Mapear project. She emphasized the preventive mission of Mapear, stating, “The primary objective is to intervene before crimes occur, ensuring that children and adolescents are spared the dire consequences of exploitation.”

Every two years, the Federal Highway Police conducts a survey identifying and georeferencing points along federal highways that attract significant human traffic.

The project cataloged more than 9,745 such points in the last edition (Mapear 2021/2022), encompassing gas stations, restaurants, hotels, inns, and nightclubs. Each point is assessed and assigned a risk level for sexual exploitation, which can be classified as low, medium, high, and critical.

Furthermore, the Mapping 2021/2022 Project trained 81 federal highway patrol officers, with an average of three professionals per state superintendence, to effectively combat and confront sexual exploitation of children and adolescents.

Public Safety Integration

Recognizing the importance of collaborative efforts, Minister of Justice and Public Safety, Flávio Dino, commended the police for their unwavering commitment to the Mapear project. He highlighted the recent Safe Ways operation, where cooperation between the Federal Highway Police and state police contributed significantly to combating child sexual exploitation. The operation resulted in the arrest of 1,008 adults, the collection of 6,185 digital pornographic materials, the seizure of 8.6 thousand kilograms of drugs, and the confiscation of 84 firearms.