A woman in Brazil, referred to as Maria, was rescued after 55 years in slave-like conditions. Employed by three generations of one family since the age of seven, she received no pay and had no personal freedom.
Maria, a name used to protect her identity, was sent to work as a live-in domestic servant in Fortaleza, Brazil, at the age of seven.
She endured conditions resembling slavery for 55 years, working without pay, holidays, or educational opportunities.
Living in almost total isolation and fear of the outside world, Maria woke up daily at 4:30 a.m. to start her chores.
Prosecutor Maria Neuzeli described her situation as a 'kind of prison' with no financial independence or social contact.
The exploitation of domestic workers, particularly in Brazil, is deeply rooted in a historical legacy of slavery, which ended in 1888.
Maria's case highlights ongoing issues of labor rights, particularly among women of lower socioeconomic status.
The Brasil family, her employers, have agreed to compensate Maria by purchasing a $30,000 apartment fully equipped and providing an additional $10,000.
Labor prosecutors are working to locate Maria's family, although she will remain with her former employers during this process.
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A woman in Brazil, referred to as Maria, was rescued after 55 years in slave-like conditions. Employed by three generations of one family since the age of seven, she received no pay and had no personal freedom.