# Domestic violence and legislative updates in Brazil

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/partner-and-domestic-violence-in-brazil
> Updated: 2026-08-09T16:00:00.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 2.

As the Maria da Penha Law marks its 20th anniversary, Brazil continues to face complex challenges regarding domestic violence and femicide. While 2025 data showed a high volume of services through specialized police units—led by the Southeast region—and rising trends in stalking and psychological abuse, recent regional reports show diverging outcomes.

In Maranhão, femicide cases decreased by 42% during the first seven months of 2026 compared to the previous year. In contrast, research from the Federal University of Paraná (UFPR) highlights a severe long-term crisis for specific demographics, noting that homicides of indigenous women and girls have surged by 500% over a 20-year period.

To combat these issues through better data, the Public Prosecutor's Office of Minas Gerais is launching the 'Observatório Lilás.' This initiative aims to compile data from social defense records and risk assessment forms to identify recurring patterns of violence and femicide, facilitating more evidence-based institutional responses.

## Claims

- Specialized police units for women recorded 782,474 service calls in 2025 across Brazil. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The Southeast region concentrated 47.8% of the total national victims in 2025. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Threats were the most frequent type of occurrence in 2025, followed by bodily injury and insult. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- Stalking and psychological violence saw significant increases compared to 2023. (corroborated by 4 sources)
- The Maria da Penha Law marks 20 years of implementation in August 2026. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The Public Prosecutor's Office of Minas Gerais is launching the 'Observatório Lilás' to monitor domestic violence and femicide. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Homicides of indigenous women and girls in Brazil increased by 500% over a 20-year period. (single source)
- Femicide cases in Maranhão dropped by 42% in the first seven months of 2026 compared to 2025. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-08-09: Brazil implements new tools to combat domestic violence as Maria da Penha Law turns 20

As Brazil marks 20 years of the Maria da Penha Law, police reports show over 782,000 service calls in 2025, while new tools like Minas Gerais' Observatório Lilás aim to better monitor domestic violence.

13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazil-reports-surge-in-domestic-violence-and-specialized-police-assistance

### 2026-07-29: Brazil study shows over half of women experienced partner violence

A 2026 Brazil survey finds 54 % of women report partner violence, only 11 % of men admit aggression; psychological abuse leads, with impunity and slow courts hindering reporting.

30 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazil-survey-finds-54-of-women-have-experienced-domestic-violence

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Cite as: Domestic violence and legislative updates in Brazil. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/partner-and-domestic-violence-in-brazil