Brazil's Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Wednesday to significantly expand the scope of the country's landmark law to protect women from violence. This was reported by infohub.kz.
After two decades of being applied only to domestic incidents, the law can now also be applied outside the home. The Supreme Court also determined that attackers can be prosecuted even if they have no family or romantic connection to the victim. All 10 members of the court voted to extend the application of the Maria da Penha law to situations such as persecution, threats, and harassment outside the home.
According to the Brazilian government, in the first half of 2026, approximately 340,000 urgent protective measures for women were granted through the mechanisms of the Maria da Penha law, a 170% increase compared to the same period in 2020.
Justice Carmen Lúcia, the only female justice on the court, said that violence against women has grown in Brazil despite the 2006 law. Lúcia noted that the Maria da Penha law needed updating because violence against women in Brazil is also a matter of power, and many femicides occur outside the home in situations that are reported to police but ignored.
"In real life, judges reject (accusations against men) without justification, they say it is not urgent, they leave it for next Monday. Meanwhile, one of us dies," the Brazilian justice said. "With this ruling, this Supreme Court shows it is not blind or deaf to all of this happening against all of us women."