Rio Grande do Norte sees 24.4% increase in stalking cases

Stalking incidents in Rio Grande do Norte increased by 24.4% between 2024 and 2025, rising from 1,221 to 1,519 occurrences, according to data from the Brazilian Public Security Forum.

The rise in these cases coincides with ‘Agosto Lilás’, a national campaign aimed at raising awareness and combating violence against women. Stalking, which was criminalized in Brazil in 2021 under Law No. 14,132, involves the repeated pursuit, monitoring, or unwanted contact that threatens a victim's physical or psychological integrity, restricts their movement, or disturbs their privacy.

Legal experts note that the crime is characterized by a pattern of behavior that creates fear or embarrassment, rather than isolated incidents. Persecution can occur in person or through digital means, such as continuous messages, calls, and social media monitoring. Nationally, the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook recorded 218,707 cases in 2025.