“Stop Killing Us”: Tens of Thousands Rally Across Brazil to Protest Rising Femicide

Tens of thousands of people — predominantly women, joined by some men — took to the streets across Brazil on Sunday to demand an end to femicide, rape and entrenched misogyny after a string of brutal, high‑profile attacks that shocked the nation.

Demonstrations in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and other cities saw protesters use powerful visual symbols and messages: in Rio’s Copacabana, activists placed dozens of black crosses in public spaces and wore stickers saying “machismo kills”, while in São Paulo crowds chanted “Stop killing us” and carried placards reading “Enough of femicide”.

Victims and Voices

Among those who marched in Copacabana was Alline de Souza Pedrotti, who lost her sister on 28 November when a male colleague allegedly killed her after refusing to accept female supervisors. “I’m devastated,” Pedrotti told The Associated Press. “But I’m fighting through the pain, and I won’t stop. I want changes in the legislation and new protocols to prevent this kind of crime from happening again.”

Protesters also called attention to two other recent, widely shared cases. On 28 November in São Paulo, Taynara Souza Santos was run over by her ex‑boyfriend and dragged along a road for about one kilometre; the 31‑year‑old’s injuries were so severe both legs were amputated. And on 21 November in Florianópolis, English teacher Catarina Kasten was raped and strangled while walking to a swimming lesson on a trail beside a beach.

Why The Protests Matter

Brazil recognised femicide as a distinct crime in 2015, defining it as the killing of a woman in a domestic context or as a consequence of contempt for women. Yet the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety reported 1,492 femicides last year — the highest total since the law took effect in 2015.

“We’re seeing an increase in numbers, but also in the intensity and cruelty of violence,” said Juliana Martins, a gender‑based violence specialist and institutional relations manager at the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety.

Martins and other activists warn that social advances toward equality and greater visibility for women can provoke violent backlash aimed at reasserting women's subordination. Several participants pointed to political shifts under former President Jair Bolsonaro, saying policies to strengthen women’s rights were rolled back and that some men felt emboldened to act out with impunity.

Voices at the rallies included older women, survivors and allies. “Women are increasingly entering new spaces and macho men can’t stand this,” said Lizete de Paula, 79. Joao Pedro Cordao, a father of three daughters, urged men to challenge everyday misogyny and support systemic change: “Only then will we be able to put an end to — or at least reduce — the current violence against women.”

The demonstrations combined mourning and outrage with clear policy demands: stronger legislation, improved prevention protocols, better protection for survivors and accountability for perpetrators. Organisers say the protests are intended to keep pressure on lawmakers and institutions until meaningful change follows.