Despite advances in Brazil’s legal framework over the past two decades—including the Maria da Penha Law of 2006 and the 2015 law that defined femicide as a crime and imposed harsher penalties—regulatory progress alone is insufficient, says Samira Bueno, executive director of the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety. “We’ve seen a healthy expansion of our legal system, which now punishes behaviors that previously went unpunished in cases of violence against women. But that alone isn’t enough.”

She argues that because the persistence of femicide is rooted in a culture that, until recently, allowed even the so-called “defense of honor” to benefit men who attacked women, it is essential to strengthen public policies that help identify women facing imminent risk, provide support to remove them from danger, and educate men so they do not become potential aggressors. These initiatives, however, have faced repeated setbacks.

In the city of São Paulo, where femicides reached a record high in 2025, even before the last two months of data were consolidated, figures from the Public Security Secretariat (SSP-SP) show that the state government has proposed a 2026 budget for the Secretariat for Women’s Policies with funding 54.4% below what was approved in the 2025 Annual Budget Law.

At the federal level, experts say a clear dismantling occurred during the Bolsonaro administration, when funding for programs such as Casa da Mulher Brasileira (Brazilian Women’s House) and Women’s Care Centers—both of which support victims of domestic violence—dropped sharply. Under the current Lula administration, they add, these policies have not been restored to previous levels.

A recent report by the Senate Budget Consultancy, prepared at the request of Senator Mara Gabrilli, found that the current administration has used less than 15% of the funds available for actions to combat femicide.

“The Bolsonaro administration played a significant role in this scenario by giving voice to certain biases that the former president had already expressed—including, for example, saying he would not rape a congresswoman because he considered her ugly. But when it comes to defunding policies to combat violence against women, this problem is not exclusive to any single administration or political party,” says the executive director of the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety. “There is a lack of continuity and a lack of urgency in prioritizing the issue.”

Another factor that helps explain both the rise in cases and the brutality seen in many femicides or attempted femicides that have gained national attention is the radicalization of young men in digital communities known as “red pill” movements. In these spaces, self-styled masculinity “gurus” promote a reactionary stance against female empowerment. Experts say this is a global phenomenon, not a uniquely Brazilian one, and is closely tied to political polarization.

“If we have made progress on one side, we’ve also seen backlash against that progress. In politics—particularly on the far right—we see misogyny and a very aggressive reaction to women’s basic rights and to more egalitarian standards in relationships,” says political scientist Flávia Biroli, a full professor at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Brasília (UnB).

“It’s a phenomenon with major consequences in Brazil, but it’s happening in many parts of the world. This misogynistic culture certainly contributes to the rise in femicide, and one serious problem is that political groups are blocking education on issues such as gender violence in schools. This makes it much easier for radical ideas about women to spread among young people online,” adds researcher Giane Silvestre of the Center for the Study of Violence at the University of São Paulo (NEV-USP).

Experts agree that there is no “silver bullet” to reduce violence against women. They argue that progress will require stronger regulation of social media platforms and more robust funding for protection initiatives and awareness campaigns.

Meanwhile, in the National Congress, lawmakers are pursuing new efforts to strengthen legal frameworks addressing the issue. One bill, proposed by Senator Ana Paula Lobato, defines misogyny as conduct that expresses hatred or aversion to women and seeks to classify it as a crime under the same legal category as racism. The proposal has already been approved by the Senate’s Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) and must still be voted on by the full Senate.

The senator received death threats on social media after introducing the bill. “These episodes reinforce the urgency of updating the legislation and making clear that this type of violence cannot go unpunished,” she says.

*By Rafael Vazquez and Michael Esquer — São Paulo

Source: Valor International

https://valorinternational.globo.com/