Brazil implements new tools to combat domestic violence as Maria da Penha Law turns 20
Brazil is marking the 20th anniversary of the Maria da Penha Law, a landmark piece of legislation for combating domestic violence. While the law has enhanced protection mechanisms, recent data highlights persistent challenges. In 2025, specialized police units recorded 782,474 service calls, with the Southeast region accounting for 47.8% of victims. Most frequent reports included threats, bodily injury, and insults, with significant increases noted in stalking and psychological violence.
Regional reports show varying trends. In Maranhão, femicide cases decreased by 42% in the first seven months of 2026 compared to the previous year. Conversely, research from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) indicates that homicides of indigenous women and girls in Brazil surged by 500% over a 20-year period.
To improve monitoring, the Public Prosecutor's Office of Minas Gerais is launching the 'Observatório Lilás.' This tool will compile data from social defense records and risk assessment forms to identify recurring patterns of domestic violence and femicide, allowing for more evidence-based institutional actions.
Entities: Brazil · Brazilian Civil Police · Civil Police · Federal University of Paraná · Foz do Iguaçu · Maria da Penha Law · Ministry of Justice and Public Security · Public Prosecutor's Office of Minas Gerais · Southeast Region · São Paulo
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] Stalking and psychological violence saw significant increases compared to 2023. (MJSP)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Threats were the most frequent type of occurrence in 2025, followed by bodily injury and insult. (MJSP)
- [● 4 SOURCES] The Southeast region concentrated 47.8% of the total national victims in 2025. (MJSP)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Femicide cases in Maranhão dropped by 42% in the first seven months of 2026 compared to 2025. (Maranhão State Government)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Homicides of indigenous women and girls in Brazil increased by 500% over a 20-year period. (UFPR)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Maria da Penha Law marks 20 years of implementation in August 2026. (Maria da Penha Law)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Public Prosecutor's Office of Minas Gerais is launching the 'Observatório Lilás' to monitor domestic violence and femicide. (MPMG)
- [● 4 SOURCES] Specialized police units for women recorded 782,474 service calls in 2025 across Brazil. (Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP))