Brazil confronts university sexual harassment and upward workplace abuse

In Brazil, sexual harassment and sexual importunation have become recognized crimes, with the 2018 law (Law 13.718/2018) defining importunation as a standalone offense and the 2001 amendment (article 216‑A) criminalising harassment when a hierarchical relationship exists. Data from the Ministry of Education show more than 500 reports of such conduct in federal universities between 2020 and 2023, including over 70 complaints at the three largest institutions in Minas Gerais and 15 at the Federal University of Uberlândia.

The Federal District government has issued a guide on "upward" harassment in public administration, describing how subordinates may repeatedly sabotage, isolate or denigrate leaders. The guide, produced by the Commission for Prevention and Combat of Harassment (CPCA) under the Controladoria‑Geral do DF, lists examples such as boicotage of directives, defamation and deliberate delays, and outlines reporting channels through the district’s Ombudsman and a dedicated phone line.