What makes an already cruel situation even worse is the evidence of the sexual exploitation of children and teenagers through forced prostitution documented by the latest U.N. report.
“A researcher documented the case of a 16-year-old girl who was tricked into going to Santa Elena de Uairén to take care of children but was then lured to offer sexual services,” the report detailed. “A miner who worked at the La Ramona mine near Tumeremo in 2017 explained to an NGO that on weekends at the mine, parties were organized where girls’ virginities were auctioned off, with younger girls getting a higher price. He also spoke of boys being offered, depending on the miner’s sexual interest.”
