Brazil lawmakers address surge in online sexual abuse of children

During a hearing of the Chamber of Deputies, federal delegations highlighted a sharp increase in sexual violence against children and adolescents online. Delegates reported that a rape occurs in Brazil every six minutes and that perpetrators can expand from a few offline victims to hundreds of digital ones. One delegate noted, “An individual who had 3‑12 victims offline can have 750 online.”

The discussion focused on strengthening legal tools, including the pending PL 3066/25 that raises penalties for sexual crimes against minors and is now moving to the Senate. Delegates also referenced the Project Guardião da Infância, aimed at encouraging victims to report abuse, and the Digital Child Protection Law (Law 15.211/25), which obliges service providers to report exploitation and abduction content.

The hearing underscored the need for faster judicial procedures and tighter regulation of digital platforms to protect children from grooming, extortion, and other online threats.