Women's rights and safety challenges in Brazil

Discussions regarding women’s rights in Brazil have focused on the intersection of social pressures and systemic violence. Initial discourse highlighted the unrealistic standards of perfection placed on women regarding professional and domestic life, while framing the fight against feminicide as part of a broader struggle for economic emancipation and better public services.

Recent data from the survey ‘O Direito de Ir, Vir e Viver’ underscores how mobility and safety issues directly impede professional and educational advancement. Approximately 39% of women have renounced job opportunities or professional roles due to commuting difficulties, citing insecurity and violence (32%), financial constraints (22%), and inadequate public transport (15%) as primary obstacles. Furthermore, 21% of women reported abandoning educational training or university studies due to these mobility challenges. The study notes that 89% of respondents reported experiencing sexual harassment during transit, with buses identified as the most frequent location.

Research from DataSenado and the Observatório da Mulher contra a Violência also highlights the vulnerability of women with disabilities. Findings indicate that over 4.4 million Brazilian women with disabilities have suffered domestic or family violence perpetrated by men, representing 38% of this demographic—a higher rate than the 25% recorded among women without disabilities. Notably, 83% of women with disabilities who recognized they were victims did not seek help from official or community support networks. In Paraná, approximately 25% of women reported experiencing aggression in the last 12 months without spontaneously declaring it as violence.