#public security

Despite increased public awareness of the problem, the number of victims has reached a record high level.

Gender-based violence in Brazil, a longstanding problem in Latin America’s most populous country, has reached alarming levels. In the last 12 months, 37.5% of women aged 16 and over experienced some form of violence. This is the highest rate recorded since the local think tank Fórum Brasileiro de Segurança Pública, known as FBSP, started monitoring the issue in 2017.

The data presents a concerning situation for the 21.4 million women involved in these incidents and for our society as a whole: Despite extensive public debate on gender roles and gender-based violence, there has not been a significant reduction in the number of victims, nor have more individuals sought help. It is our responsibility to understand these statistics and advocate for public policies that address this issue.

In 2015, women from all over Brazil took to the streets to defend the few sexual and reproductive rights constitutionally guaranteed to women. According to Brazilian law, abortion is only allowed in three specific circumstances, and access to legal abortion can be limited due to a lack of services and medical professionals’ refusal. When former congressman Eduardo Cunha presented a bill aimed at extinguishing these few paths to legal abortion and criminalizing the procedure entirely, protests took place throughout the country for weeks until the bill was dismissed.

By then, protests were not just about the bill. Women were marching to denounce the many other aspects of gender inequality in Brazil—today, the period is referred to as the “women’s spring.” It lit a fuse: gender inequality has never been talked about so much in our country. Women finally have the language and the words to discuss this problem, a crucial step toward solving it. 

Brazil is not the exception. In 2015, women’s protests surged across Latin America and the Caribbean as feminists mobilized against gender-based violence, restrictive abortion laws, and persistent inequality. The marches around the region brought unprecedented public attention to issues such as femicide, sexual harassment, and women’s bodily autonomy, challenging traditional norms and pushing for legal reforms.

Over the past decade, Brazil has created new regulatory frameworks and updated laws to hold perpetrators accountable, but these measures alone have not been enough. This complex problem demands a broader response, from policies to enable women’s economic autonomy and improve education, to funding for programs benefiting at-risk women.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on Tuesday condemned judicial decisions in Brazil that could exclude criminal responsibility in cases of sexual violence against girls and adolescents.

The statement follows an alarming two-year trend in which protections for children under the age of 14 have reportedly weakened. This is highlighted by four controversial rulings from Brazil’s Superior Court of Justice (STJ) that may limit criminal accountability in instances of sexual violence against minors. Collectively, the rulings introduced exceptions to the absolute presumption of non-consent in cases of sexual violence, considering mitigating circumstances such as the sexual abuser having reached the age of 18, entering marriage, or the victim falling pregnant.

These legal decisions reflect a broader regression in the country’s commitment to upholding international law, particularly its binding obligations under Article 34 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). This convention mandates state parties to take appropriate measures in preventing the exploitation of children in unlawful sexual practices. The STJ’s rulings also conflict with the Belém do Pará Convention. This landmark international framework was adopted in 1994 to address the issue of violence against women. The STJ’s non-adherence to Article 7 (b) of the Belém do Pará Convention, which requires states to pursue cases of violence against women with due diligence, is concerning for the IACHR, especially given the STJ’s reaffirmation of this interpretative approach on April 3, 2025.

States in the Amazon region recorded the highest rates of female homicides in 2023, according to data from the Atlas of Violence 2025, produced by the Institute of Applied Economic Research (Ipea) and the Brazilian Forum on Public Security.

Roraima topped the ranking, with a rate of 10.4 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants – nearly three times the national average of 3.5. Amazonas, Bahia, and Rondônia also posted high rates, each with 5.9 deaths per 100,000 women. Mato Grosso also appeared in the ranking with 5.7, the same rate as Pernambuco.

Senior researcher at the Forum, Manoela Miklos, pointed out that each locality has its own specificities. In the case of Roraima, for example, the issue of illegal mining was taken into account. “We conducted a hypothesis study with Roraima involving the presence of mining, so it’s a job that requires close examination of each of these states to understand which specific phenomena keep these rates high,” said Manoela.

Most assaults happen at home, with physical violence the most frequent, says the Atlas of Violence

Reports of violence against women in Brazil increased in 2023, even as overall homicide numbers stagnated and murders declined nationwide. There were 275,275 reports of assault, up from 221,240 in 2022. The homicide rate remained stable at 3.5 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants both years. In 2023, there were 3,903 homicides registered, a 2.5% increase over 2022, which had 3,806 victims.

Six out of ten violent incidents —177,086 in total— occurred at home, according to the Atlas of Violence 2025. These were followed by cases of community violence (59,611) —committed by people outside the family, such as neighbors or strangers—, mixed violence (34,653), and institutional violence (3,925), which involves some form of hierarchy.

The most frequent type of violence in 2023 was physical (37.4%), followed by multiple forms (30.3%). Neglect accounted for 12% of cases, and psychological and sexual violence made up 10.1% and 9.5%, respectively.

Population aging, a truce between the PCC and CV criminal factions, and effective public security policies explain the improvement

Brazil recorded a 20.3% drop in the number of homicides between 2013 and 2023, according to the Atlas of Violence, produced by Ipea and the Brazilian Forum on Public Security.

Between 2022 —with 46,409 deaths— and 2023, the decrease was 1.4%. In total, there were 45,747 homicide victims in 2023. Ten years earlier, the number was 57,396. Compared to 2017 —the most violent year in the historical series, with 65,602 deaths— the drop reaches 30.2%.

Despite the improvement, Brazil remains among the most violent countries in the world. According to UNODC data, between 2022 and 2023 only 14 countries had higher homicide rates than Brazil, which posted a rate of 21.2 per 100,000 inhabitants —its lowest in 11 years.