[brabel]

In cases like this, it’s likely the victim defended the family, and it made it impossible to classify the crime as slavery if she said she was free to leave but “was afraid of the violence outside”, which the article mentioned. It sounds ridiculous but in any court, if you can’t prove something beyond doubt, you cannot punish, which I think is why they ended up with that arrangement.

[rglullis]

If you ever been to or lived in Fortaleza, "being afraid of the violence outside" is not ridiculous at all.

[brabel]

But being so afraid that you have never been outside unless accompanied by your bosses would be pathological in any other case. Also, what I said was "ridiculous" was the jury's conclusion, not going outside.

[rglullis]

Pathological, yes, but it doesn't necessarily mean that this fear was instilled by the family as a way to keep her trapped.

Most people in Brazil are so used with the precautions that they have to take to deal with urban violence, they don't get to realize that they are the ones living in their own prisons. I have family members in Rio de Janeiro who get panic attacks at the thought of going anywhere by themselves. I've met grown-up, educated, independent people in college who wouldn't dare to do anything outside of the home <-> campus itinerary on their own.