Femicides in Brazil reach their highest level since 2015

National and international reports warn that gender-based violence against women remains among the most widespread human rights violations in the country.

A decade after the Femicide Law was enacted, Brazil once again recorded record numbers of gender-motivated killings of women. In 2025 the figure reached 1,518 victims, surpassing the 1,458 cases recorded in 2024, which until then had been the highest number since the offense was codified, according to data from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. This reflects a sustained trend that is setting off alarms across the region.

Various data from national and international institutions show that gender-based violence in Brazil is not limited to femicides, but is part of the daily lives of millions of women. Over the past 12 months, 37.5% of women over 16 reported having experienced some form of violence. This is the highest rate since the Fórum Brasileiro de Segurança Pública (FBSP) began monitoring these indicators in 2017. 

The figures amount to 21.4 million women and represent a situation of alarming severity. Although there is greater public visibility of the issue and of the social debate around gender roles, the records show neither substantial reductions nor a proportional increase in the search for institutional support.

A sustained increase over the last decade

The FBSP's official survey also shows that the daily average of femicides remains at critical levels. The Ministry of Justice indicated that the data are equivalent to approximately four women killed per day in contexts of domestic or family violence or motivated by gender-based hatred.

Since 2015, the total number of victims has reached 13,448. In addition, the 2025 figure could rise once states such as São Paulo and Pernambuco add their missing data for December. In territorial terms, at least 15 states recorded year-on-year increases, with the highest numbers in the North and Northeast regions.

In 2024, femicide came to be treated as a stand-alone offense, with sentences ranging from 20 to 40 years in prison that can reach 60 years when there are aggravating circumstances, making it the most severe penalty in the Brazilian penal code. At the same time, October 17 was established as a national day of mourning and remembrance for the victims, in reference to the case of Eloá Pimentel, which marked a turning point on the public agenda.

Specialists agree that the increase in cases cannot be analyzed solely from a criminal-law perspective. Samira Bueno, executive director of the FBSP, warned during the presentation of Human Rights Watch's annual report that the persistence of femicides is associated with structural state shortcomings.

The HRW report, which examines the human rights situation in more than one hundred countries, identifies domestic and gender-based violence as one of the most widespread violations in Brazil.

Samira Bueno stressed that the problem cuts across different levels of government and stated that “currently, in Brazil, we are seeing a lack of funding for these policies at the municipal and state levels, especially for those involved in the protection network, which rely on social assistance, health care and the police to make a real impact on the lives of these girls and women.”

More laws, same enforcement challenges

The sustained increase in cases reopened the debate on the effectiveness of the existing institutional tools and their reach on the ground. This is especially significant given that Brazil has one of the most comprehensive legal frameworks in the region on gender-based violence. The Maria da Penha Law, enacted in 2006, is considered a pioneering instrument internationally for the comprehensive protection of women.

New tools have been added to this legislation in recent years. In 2015, femicide was incorporated as a specific criminal offense. In 2018, sexual harassment in public spaces and workplaces was codified as a crime, and in 2021 stalking was criminalized.

More recently, the three branches of government launched the National Pact – Brazil against Femicide, aimed at coordinating prevention, assistance and punishment efforts at the municipal and state levels. The plan provides for institutional coordination, the strengthening of protection networks, data production and awareness campaigns.

However, organizations such as HRW state that the effectiveness of these laws depends on their implementation on the ground, funding and ongoing monitoring.

The role of the State in prevention

The women's movement and human rights organizations continue to play a central role in raising the visibility of the problem and in promoting legislative reforms. Through campaigns and public advocacy, they push for the creation of new criminal offenses, the updating of legislation and the expansion of assistance services.

On the political front, the current administration of Lula da Silva established the Ministry of Women on its first day in office and promoted institutional initiatives aimed at gender equality. However, recent leadership changes at this ministry, shaped by electoral negotiations ahead of 2026, have raised questions about the continuity of certain priority policies for advancing gender equality.

Various sectors warn that election years tend to push these issues off the public agenda, reducing their budgetary and legislative prominence. In this context, international organizations, institutions and grassroots movements insist on the need for institutional vigilance and citizen monitoring to prevent setbacks in prevention, protection and access to justice.

Guillermo Whpei

President of Fundación para la Democracia