In Brazil, prostitution is legal, as long as one is of age. However, encouraging, forcing or facilitating prostitution is a crime which may lead to 2 to 5 years of imprisonment. The sentence increases if the cases involves minors of age, violent behaviour or sexual exploitation in exchange for money. Brothels are thus illegal.

However, self-employed prostitutes have no rights, as the profession is not officially recognized, nor regulated. Last year, the Brazilian deputy Jean Wyllys introduced a bill aiming at such regulations. If this bill passes, Brazilian prostitutes will benefit from a new status: “sex workers”.

With the World Cup and the Olympic Games, deputy Wyllys believes that recognizing the prostitutes rights would provide them with better protection, would eradicate human trafficking and put an end to pimping networks.