A Brazilian woman who was kept as a domestic slave for almost 40 years, forced into marriage and denied any wages, has been rescued in a rare intervention against modern slavery.
The 46-year-old was found living in a small room in an apartment in Patos de Minas, in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais. Labour inspectors said she had worked for the family of a university professor without pay or time off since she was eight years old.
The woman was given up by her impoverished parents to the professor, who taught at Patos de Minas University (Unipam), and was raised by his mother. 'They gave her food when she was hungry, but all other rights were taken from her,' said Humberto Camasmie, the inspector overseeing the rescue.
Authorities were alerted by neighbours who received notes from the woman asking for money to buy food and hygiene products. During her captivity, she was forced to marry an elderly relative of the family so that they could continue to receive his pension after his death.
Following her rescue at the end of November, the woman has been taken to a shelter and is receiving psychological support. Labour prosecutors are seeking compensation from the family, and if charged with employing slave labour, the professor could face up to eight years in prison.
The woman now receives the deceased relative's monthly pension of around R$8,000 (£1,560), seven times Brazil's minimum wage. 'She did not know what a minimum wage was,' said Camasmie. 'Now she's learning how to use a credit card.'
