Violence against women is cited by 61% of Brazilians as the most serious crime currently facing the country, surpassing problems such as drug trafficking and armed robbery. Despite this perception, a significant portion of the population still does not recognize certain forms of emotional, psychological, and financial abuse as violence.
The data comes from a groundbreaking survey conducted by Datafolha in partnership with the Movimento Mulher 360, an organization focused on promoting gender equality. The survey shows that attacks against women are more prevalent than crimes such as drug trafficking, cited by 16% of respondents, and armed robberies in public places, mentioned by 10%.
The research reinforces the prominent role that gender-based violence has come to occupy in the debate on public safety and human rights in Brazil.
Contradiction between perception and recognition of violence.
Although most Brazilians condemn physical assaults and threats, the study points to a worrying contradiction: many attitudes considered forms of psychological or coercive violence are still downplayed.
According to the data, 45% of respondents say that preventing a woman from leaving home to attend a celebration is not necessarily a form of violence. Meanwhile, 41% believe that controlling a partner's friendships does not constitute aggression either.
According to experts, this scenario highlights the difficulty in identifying the early signs of abusive relationships, which can hinder preventive actions and encourage the escalation of violence.
Property violence is still downplayed.
The research also highlights the low perception of financial abuse, a type of violence covered by the Maria da Penha Law. According to the survey, 42% of Brazilians do not necessarily consider a husband controlling his wife's salary to be aggressive.
On the other hand, situations involving public humiliation or sexual violence are widely recognized by society. Approximately 94% of respondents consider it violence for a man to humiliate his partner in public, while 95% classify the act of forcing sexual relations within marriage as aggression.
The results show that social recognition of violence increases when there is explicit embarrassment or evident physical aggression.
Victim-blaming persists.
Another striking finding is the persistent victim-blaming. The research reveals that 61% of Brazilians believe that many assaults suffered by women are a consequence of poor choices in selecting a partner.
Among women, this understanding is shared by 57% of those interviewed. Among men, the rate reaches 65%.
Experts warn that this perspective contributes to the silence of victims and hinders their search for help, in addition to strengthening their stay in abusive relationships.
Lack of trust in institutions is a concern.
Trust in the institutions responsible for protecting women also appears to be a challenge. Only 19% of women say they have a high degree of trust in the police's actions to protect them in situations of violence.
Among men, the percentage rises to 31%. Furthermore, while 55% of men consider the laws protecting women to be adequate, the same percentage of women interviewed express dissatisfaction with the legislation and its practical application.
The scenario highlights a perceived disconnect between existing legal mechanisms and the effective protection of victims.
Gender-based violence is seen as a growing problem.
The survey also shows that 89% of Brazilians believe that cases of violence against women have increased in the last year. This perception is even higher among women, reaching 94%, compared to 83% among men.
The majority of respondents, equivalent to 71%, also believe that women are more vulnerable to violence at home than in public spaces.
The numbers reinforce concerns about domestic and family violence, frequently cited as one of the most common forms of aggression against women in the country.
Reports reveal a high incidence of assaults.
Among the 857 women who responded to the specific module of the survey, 74% reported having experienced at least one instance of gender-based violence in their lifetime.
On average, each interviewee stated that they had experienced three distinct episodes of violence. The most frequent occurrences were insults and name-calling, reported by 59% of the participants.
There were also reports of threats of physical assault, pushing or kicking, mentioned by 45% of women, as well as stalking or intimidation, reported by 43%.
Cases of sexual violence also draw attention.
The results also reveal significant figures related to sexual violence. Four out of ten women, equivalent to 38% of those interviewed, stated that they had been touched or grabbed without consent.
Furthermore, one in four women reported being beaten or having an attempted strangulation. Another 22% reported having been threatened with firearms or knives.
The data reinforces the scale of the problem and the challenges faced in preventing and combating gender-based violence in different contexts.
How the research was conducted
Datafolha interviewed 2.004 people aged 16 or older in capital cities and metropolitan areas across all regions of Brazil. The interviews took place between April 6 and 11, 2026, using a structured questionnaire.
The survey's margin of error is plus or minus two percentage points.
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