Violence against women remains on the rise, despite programs and campaigns

Initially, the case was treated as a suicide. However, investigations changed the course of the story. This Monday, June 29, the trial hearings began for the case in which Gisele's husband, Lieutenant Colonel Geraldo LeiteRosa Neto, also a member of the Military Police, is being prosecuted for femicide and procedural fraud. He was inside the apartment at the moment of the shooting, which occurred after a fight between the couple, and claimed he mistook the sound of the gunshot for a door slamming. Yet, the circumstances surrounding Gisele's death raised suspicions of murder. Messages found on Gisele's cell phone further cast doubt on the alleged innocence of Rosa Neto, who has been detained since March 18.

The case has once again triggered debates over the rise of violence against women in Brazil. Although the legal proceedings are still in their infancy, forensic examinations demonstrated that Gisele had been assaulted by an adult and that there was no gunshot residue on the soldier's hands. There was also none found on the lieutenant colonel's hands, who decided to take a shower when the police arrived, despite explicit instructions not to do so. Bloodstains were found in the bathroom and on Rosa Neto's shorts. Furthermore, cell phone messages revealed that the soldier was subjected to humiliation by her husband.

Among the cases officially confirmed as femicides, the numbers demonstrate the severity and escalation of violence against women in the country, even though the topic is increasingly publicised and debated, from academic circles to social media protests. In the state of São Paulo alone—the state that registers the highest number of such deaths—the report from the first four months of 2026 reveals an alarming situation. From January to April, there were 107 cases of femicide, according to data from the Secretariat of Public Security. This represents a 30.5% increase compared to the same period last year. It is also the highest number recorded during the first four months of a year since 2018.

National scenario

Released in March, the study "Portrait of Femicides in Brazil" by the Brazilian Public Security Forum indicates that in 2025, the number of femicide victims in the country reached 1,568, representing a 4.7% growth compared to the previous year. The legal classification of femicide, established in 2015, considers that the crime is linked to the victim's female gender condition. Since the Maria da Penha Law went into effect, more than 13,000 women have been victims of femicide across Brazilian territory.

A cousin of physical education student Lorena Gonçalves de Oliveira, a resident of Betim (MG), is part of this terrifying statistic. "For the family, it is deeply tragic. Her ex-boyfriend did not accept the breakup, and that showed me reality: how vital it is to point out this situation to people because it is not normal. I believe this needs to be addressed within society," she states.

Meanwhile, Larissa Martins da Silva, a civil engineering student, reports experiencing this reality on a daily basis. "Violence has become severely aggravated. It's beyond normal. I see it as an influence of men feeling power over women. There are many digital influencers who treat women as if they were objects," believes Larissa, who works in civil construction in Belo Horizonte. For her, laws need to be enforced more effectively. "They are not correctly applied."

The report by the Brazilian Public Security Forum notes that these figures are drawn from police reports registered by the civil police of each state. The actual numbers could be even higher, given that not all cases are classified as femicides at the time the report is filed, or due to a general lack of reporting altogether. 

Aggressors in the crosshairs

In May, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a package of Bills and decrees to expand protection for women and strengthen accountability mechanisms for abusers. To this end, the Cadastro Nacional de Agressores(National Registry of Abusers) was created—a database containing the names of individuals convicted of violence against women.

Another proposal focused on the digital environment as a means to combat hate speech. Under this measure, social media platforms must act to curb the spread of crimes, fraud, and violence within their ecosystems and mitigate potential harm caused to victims. 

These measures emerged on the date marking 100 days of the National Pact Brazil Against Femicide, established between the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. In reviewing the agreement, the Ministry of Justice reported that more than 6,000 abusers of women were arrested. Over these 100 days, the judiciary expedited some of its rulings. More than half of all urgent protective orders against abusers of women are now granted on the very same day.

Disclaimer: The original article was published in Portuguese