Data were cited at the opening of the week to combat harassment promoted by TJ-RJ in Rio de Janeiro
The increase in cases of violence and harassment against women in Brazil motivated the opening of the Week to Combat Harassment and Discrimination 2026 by (Court of Justice of Rio de Janeiro). The event began on Monday (May 4, 2026) and brought together representatives of the Judiciary and the Public Prosecutor’s Office to discuss prevention and reception measures for victims.
released in 2025, show that 37.5% of Brazilian women aged 16 or over have suffered some type of violence. The survey also points out that 31% of women reported verbal offenses and 49% said they had been victims of harassment in the last year, the highest percentage in the survey’s historical series.
During the opening, the federal prosecutor Daniela Carvalho stated that the growth in numbers highlights the need to expand the debate on the topic in public institutions. According to her, harassment practices cause psychological, social and professional impacts not only on the victims, but also on the collective environment.
CONFIGHTING HARASSMENT
The judge Wagner Cinellipresident of the Committee for the Promotion of Gender Equality and the Prevention and Combating of Moral and Sexual Harassment and 1st Degree Discrimination, stated that combating harassment requires constant vigilance from the Judiciary. According to him, many aggressors do not recognize their own conduct as abusive.
The public prosecutor Isabela Jourdan said that harassment usually begins with behaviors that disqualify, objectify and make victims invisible. For her, awareness raising, training and creation of listening channels are fundamental to preventing cases of institutional violence.
Federal legislation has mechanisms to prevent and combat sexual harassment and crimes against sexual dignity in direct and indirect public administration, at federal, state, district and municipal levels.
This text was originally published by Agência Brasil, on May 5, 2026. The content is free for republication, citing the source, and was adapted to the standard of Poder360.
