[1] In 2008 Uruguay was a source and transit country for men, women, and children trafficked for purposes of commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor.
Most victims were women, girls, and some boys trafficked within the country to border and tourist areas for sexual exploitation.
Forced labor is prohibited under Section 1 of Title XI of the Uruguayan penal code, and punishable by six to 12 years' imprisonment.
While the government has provided some assistance to NGOs working in the area of trafficking, the availability of victim services is uneven across the country, especially outside the capital.
The government does not have a formal system for identifying trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, such as women in prostitution or undocumented migrants.
Uruguayan law provides legal alternatives to the removal of foreign victims to countries where they face hardship or retribution.