Femicide in Brazil: premature, preventable and trivialized death of women

Abstract

Introduction: Feminicide is considered the maximum expression of gender violence. Brazil is among the countries with the highest rate of feminicide in the world. Between 2001 and 2011, more than 50,000 feminicide were recorded in Brazil, an average of 5,000 cases per year. Objective: To analyze the characteristics and evolution of feminicide rates in Brazil. Method: Ecological study of temporal series with secondary data obtained from the Mortality Information System of the Ministry of Health. We estimate feminicide rates for 2015-2019. The cases of feminicide were analyzed for the following outcomes: type of instrument used by the aggressor, age and race of the woman, and events that preceded feminicide. All analyzes were performed using the Stata 15.1 statistical software. Study is exempt from authorization from the Research Ethics Committee according to resolution 510/2016 of the National Health Council. Results: The absolute number of femicides increased between 2015 and 2019, as well as their participation among the external causes of death of women. We observed probable underreporting of feminicide of transsexual and lesbian women, with 76 cases reported between 2014 and 2017. In 2019, we observed that 60.6% of assaults against women occur in the victim's home, with 36.0% of cases on weekends. The instruments of aggression involved firearms (50.0%), piercing or blunt or blunt instruments (34.0%), and hanging or suffocation (6.0%). Physical abuse, sexual violence, neglect, abandonment, mental cruelty and torture were identified in 14.0% of deaths. Conclusion: Feminicide rates in Brazil are increasing, with probable underreporting of cases among black, transsexual and lesbian women.