March against abuse

Posted: June 10, 2010   By: Holly Drake

SAO PAULO, Brazil – In Brazil alone, an estimated 500,000 to 2 million children are being used for prostitution.

In the favelas, or slums, Brazilian teens and children are often convinced to attend pancadao parties, where young girls are coerced and paid to dance on stage wearing very little clothing. This is only the beginning of the exploitation that these young girls will face.

To help prevent exploitation of these at-risk children and rescue vulnerable girls from a life of sexual slavery, Operation Blessing Brazil is working in 10 schools and reaching more than 1,300 young people every week—teaching Bible lessons to children and positive values, goal development, self respect and drama classes to teens.

View Photo Gallery

Teens from these schools are also invited to “Urbano,” parties on Friday nights that offer mentoring, counseling and activities that serve as a positive alternative to the self-destructive and dangerous pancadao parties.

Most recently, students were invited to participate in an annual march against child sex abuse.

The march took place simultaneously in 3 cities in Brazil, where more than 7,600 students and young adults participated, including members of the local government, city council and participants from other nonprofits and aid groups.

“I was surprised to see so many young people in the march,” said Daniel, with OB’s Makanudos Program. “For me, the march gives the youth courage to speak about child sexual abuse. It also makes them believe that they can change the world and that together we can have a better future.”