UN Says Venezuela Mining Region Plagued By Sex Trafficking

A UN report on human rights abuses in Venezuela cites at least 70 cases where women and girls lured to the "golden arc" mining region by promises of work are enslaved by criminal groups.

UN Says Venezuela Mining Region Plagued By Sex Trafficking

A United Nations report on human rights abuses in Venezuela’s mining region has found evidence of widespread sex trafficking and violence against vulnerable women and children in the region, reports Luke Taylor for The Guardian. The report cited at least 70 cases where, lured to the region by promises of solid work, and even wealth, economically vulnerable women and girls are enslaved by criminal groups.  President Nicolás Maduro has used state forces and paramilitary groups to clamp down on dissent amid the country’s collapsing economy, parceling off land to armed gangs as his inner circle siphons off most of the profits from drugs, gold and sex work.