Brazil has experienced unprecedented levels of rape and other forms of gender-based violence for the second consecutive year, amid growing concerns about rightwing attempts to criminalize rape victims who seek abortions.
Data from the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety’s annual report, released Thursday, showed a 6.5% increase in reported rape cases from the previous year, reaching a new high of 83,988 – one every six minutes. Experts find these figures “even more alarming” against the backdrop of far-right activism, including a bill in the lower house of Congress aiming to penalize rape survivors seeking abortions.
Every indicator of gender-based violence increased in 2023 compared to the previous year, with murder up by 0.8%, sexual harassment by 48.7%, and stalking by 34.5%. In contrast, total homicides (against men and women) fell for the sixth consecutive year, decreasing by 3.4% from 47,963 in 2022 to 46,328 last year.
One potential explanation for the increase in gender-based violence is the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the forum’s executive director, Samira Bueno. She noted that since 2021, violence against women has surged and now exceeds pre-pandemic levels. The pandemic’s domestic tensions may have exacerbated these forms of violence.
Although many states do not record the racial background of rape victims, available data suggest that at least 52% of victims were black. Children remain significantly overrepresented among rape survivors, with 61.6% aged 13 or younger, most assaulted by family members or acquaintances (84.7%), a consistent pattern.
Activists warn that proposed legislation in the chamber of deputies could further victimize women by penalizing those who undergo abortions after 22 weeks, even in cases of rape. While abortion is illegal in Brazil, exceptions exist for rape. The new legislation, supported by rightwing former president Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters, proposes prison sentences of up to 20 years for abortions – equating them with homicide and exceeding the penalty for rape (up to 15 years).
Following an outcry from feminist and human rights groups, the legislation is currently dormant in the lower house, but activists fear its revival, which they say would penalize child sexual abuse victims. Bueno pointed out that young victims often do not realize they are pregnant, and criminalizing them for delayed abortions is another form of violence against them.
“Our Congress is out of touch with what is happening to the population, especially to girls and women,” Bueno said, questioning why support for these victims isn’t being prioritized.
For the first time, the report ranked rape rates in cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants, with the highest rate recorded in Sorriso, Mato Grosso state. There were 77,000 stalking cases reported in 2023, a 34% increase. “This data is particularly relevant because stalking often precedes other forms of violence, such as murder,” said Bueno. Stalking was recognized as a crime in Brazil only in 2021, so rates are expected to rise as awareness of the law grows.
Despite the decrease in total homicides, Brazil still accounts for 10% of the world’s murders with just 3% of the global population. “Brazil has managed to reduce murders for another year, but it has become much more unsafe for girls and women,” said Bueno.
