Better Prevention of Femicide: Evidence from Brazil
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UniCEUB University; Monash University; University of Lisbon; Prosecution Office of the Federal District
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University of Brasilia; Public Health Department of the Federal District Brazil
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Prosecution Office of the Federal District Brazil
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Prosecution Office of the Federal District Brazil
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Prosecution Office of the Federal District Brazil
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Public Health Department of the Federal District Brazil
Abstract
This article presents the results of a death review study of 34 cases of femicide in the Federal District, Brazil, between 2016 and 2017. The aim of the study is to analyse how primary, secondary and tertiary prevention policies could have enhanced the prevention of these particular femicides. The study uses a mixed-method research design to analyse the judicial and health files of victims and perpetrators, supplemented by semi-structured interviews with surviving relatives. The findings highlight the need for an intersectional approach to gender, race, class and migration status in prevention policies; better risk assessment and management; enhanced women’s reporting of domestic violence earlier; and better integration of the justice system with psychosocial services. The increase of violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic strengthens the need for an integrated approach to the prevention of lethal gender violence. This paper provides an original contribution to better comprehend the profile of femicide victims and perpetrators with a view on how to improve prevention policies in Brazil.
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Author Biographies
BrazilThiago Pierobom de Ávila is an Associate Professor of Law at the PhD program of UniCEUB, Brazil, an Affiliated Researcher of the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Centre, Australia, an Integrated Researcher of the Institute for Criminal Law and Sciences, University of Lisbon, Portugal, and a Senior Prosecutor in Brasilia, MPDFT, Brazil
BrazilMarcela Novais Medeiros is a Researcher at the Research Centre on Gender and Clinic Psychology, University of Brasilia, and a Psychologist at the Public Health Department of the Federal District, Brazil. She holds a PhD on psychology from the University of Brasilia.
Cátia Betânia Chagas is a Social Service expert at the Prosecution Office of the Federal District, MPDFT, Brazil. She holds a Master on social policies from the University of Brasilia
Elaine Novaes Vieira is a Psychology expert at the Prosecution Office of the Federal District, MPDFT, Brazil. She holds a Master on psychology from the Federal University of the Espirito Santo State
Thais Quezado Soares Magalhães is the Head of the Human Rights Office of the Prosecution office of the Federal District, MPDFT, Brazil. She holds a Master on human rights from the University College London – UCL, UK
Andrea Simoni de Zappa Passeto is a Postgraduate Expert in impacts of violence on health from the FIOCRUZ Foundation and a Medical doctor at the Public Health Department of the Federal District, Brazil.