Court documents said for months on end the woman was not allowed into the mansion, slept on a couch, and had to use a bucket for a toilet. She depended on a neighbour for food and other basics and did not have a vacation day in 22 years.

Slavery is a serious problem in Brazil's coffee industry, a months-long investigation has found.

Two Indonesian fishermen who escaped slavery aboard a Honolulu-based tuna and swordfish vessel when it docked at San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf are suing the boat's owner.