Is there race/color differential on femicide in Brazil? The inequality of mortality rates for violent causes among white and black women

Abstract

Introduction: Femicide is considered the extreme expression of gender violence. The Brazilian scenario points to a complex public health problem, with evidence of a more severe social phenomenon for black women. Objective: To compare mortality rates due to violent causes in white and black women. Methods: Ecological study of temporal series with secondary data obtained from the Mortality Information System of DATASUS. We estimated the mortality rate from 2016-2018 about suicides, aggressions, and undetermined death by violence in the range of ages 15-29 and 30-59 years among white and non-white women. Femicide cases were compared using firearms or other means. Statistical analysis employed the chi-square test, with a significance level of p<0.05, Confidence Interval of 95%. According to resolution 510/2016 of the National Health Council, the study is exempted from Research Ethics Committee´s evaluation. Results: Between 15 and 29 years, the mortality rate due to aggression was higher for black, 10.5/100,000, than for white women, 4.9/100,000. The same occurred between 30 and 59 years, with 12.5/100,000 deaths among black and 5.9/100,000 deaths among white women. Suicide rates were lower for black than for white women aged 15 to 29 years (1.2/100,000 versus 2.8/100,000) and between 30-59 years (2.0/100,000 versus 5.2/100,000). Among non-white women, the use of firearms was higher and, among white women, hanging was used the most. Conclusion: Violent deaths of women by aggression affect more forcefully Brazilian black women, regardless of age. Firearms remain the aggressor's main resource for practicing femicide, especially against non-white women.