Human trafficking for prostitution is a hardly quantifiable scourge. The lack of complaints by victims, and the poor intelligence of the various networks make investigations very difficult to conduct.

Research shows, nonetheless, that human trafficking is directly linked to misery and poverty. This makes the North-East (the Fortaleza region), as the poorest region of the country, an important prostitution pool.

A 2012 survey found 241 prostitution hot-spots in the country, many of them in the North (76) and Nord-Eastern region (69).

With the World Cup, cases of sexual exploitation are likely to increase dramatically, as was the case with similar events in the past (see infographic)