Brazil Enacts Stronger Protections for Women as Public Outcry Grows Over Gender Violence

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has signed into law a package of measures designed to strengthen protections for women who are victims of gender-based violence. Published in the country’s official gazette on Monday, the law expands judges’ powers to impose preventive and protective actions and raises penalties for certain sexual crimes against children.

What the Law Does

Under the new rules, judges can suspend or restrict a suspect’s access to firearms, order the removal of an alleged abuser from the victim’s home and impose bans on any contact with the victim. People subject to these protective measures will also be required to wear an ankle monitor, and victims will receive alerts via a security device if the offender approaches.

The legislation raises the maximum sentence for rape of a child under 14 to 18 years (up from 15). When a child is raped and killed, the penalty now ranges from 20 to 40 years, an increase from the previous 12-to-30-year range.

Origins and Political Context

The bill was authored by former Senator Margareth Buzetti of the center-right Progressives party and was approved by the Senate in November. Its passage follows growing public anger over record levels of violence against women and a spate of high-profile, brutal incidents that sparked nationwide demonstrations.

Public Reaction and High-Profile Cases

Rachel Ripani, one of the organizers of demonstrations she said took place in about 90 Brazilian cities, welcomed the signing but emphasized that sustained public pressure is often needed to ensure such laws are prioritized and properly enforced.

"It is very positive, but it is also an important sign of how these laws end up being relegated to a secondary plan without public pressure," Ripani told The Associated Press.

The protests were prompted by several particularly shocking crimes that circulated widely online, including the case of 31-year-old Taynara Souza Santos, who was run over and dragged by her ex-boyfriend’s car and later had both legs amputated, and the murder of English teacher Catarina Kasten on a trail in Florianópolis. Other widely shared footage showed an assault in an elevator in which a woman was struck repeatedly and later required facial reconstruction surgery.

Statistics and Longer-Term Measures

Data underscore the scale of the crisis: a 2025 report by the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety found that more than one in three Brazilian women experienced sexual or gender-based violence over the course of a year — the highest rate recorded since 2017. Last year, the forum reported 1,492 femicides, the highest total since the 2015 law that recognized femicide as a distinct crime.

In October 2024, President Lula also signed a law raising minimum sentences for femicide to 20 years and maximum to 40 years.

Debate Over Effectiveness

Some experts and activists welcome stronger protections but caution that harsher penalties alone will not end the epidemic of violence. Isadora Vianna, a sociologist at Rio de Janeiro State University, said longer sentences win broad political support but research suggests they are not effective as the sole deterrent. She and other specialists point to prevention measures — comprehensive sexual education, clear reporting channels for children, and stronger social services — as more likely to reduce abuse.

"But advancing on this issue is very difficult because the legislative debate is guided by moral values instead of technical studies," Vianna said.

Women's rights activists also urge greater investment in prevention, improved training for the judiciary, health-care providers and social workers who interact with victims, and properly funded shelter and support services. "No penal change will be successful, because underneath we still have the same sexist, misogynistic, racist structure that harms, violates and kills us," said activist Tatianny Araújo.

The new law is a significant legal step, but advocates stress that implementation, funding and broader cultural change will determine whether it leads to sustained reductions in violence against women.

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