Brazil Faces Rising Feminicide Rates Amid New Law to Expedite Death Pensions for Victims' Children

In 2025, Brazil witnessed a stark rise in feminicide, with 6,904 cases reported—including 2,149 murders and 4,755 attempts—reflecting a 34% increase from 2024, according to the Annual Report on Feminicides by Lesfem at Universidade Estadual de Londrina. This figure significantly surpasses the Ministry of Justice's official count of 1,548 deaths for the same year, revealing a 38% underreporting issue highlighted by researcher Daiane Bertasso. The study found 75% of these crimes occurred within intimate relationships, often at the victim's home, with most victims aged between 25 and 34, and nearly a quarter having previously reported abuse. The violence leaves 1,653 children orphaned, many of whom face precarious futures.

Responding to this crisis, Brazilian lawmakers have introduced Project of Law 6244/25, designed to accelerate the granting of death pensions to dependents of feminicide victims. The bill mandates prioritized processing by the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) and exempts beneficiaries from the usual contribution requirements if the victim was insured at death. It also prevents perpetrators from receiving or managing benefits, ensuring that children’s assets are overseen by an uninvolved guardian. The proposal includes provisions for provisional pension payments based on preliminary evidence such as police reports, enabling immediate support amidst ongoing investigations.

Deputy Pompeo de Mattos stressed the urgent need for this measure, citing the alarming statistics and a recently brutal feminicide in São Paulo. Currently under review by multiple congressional committees, the bill aims to provide vital financial security to victims' families amid Brazil’s persistent feminicide crisis.

This legislative effort comes as feminicide remains a deeply rooted social issue fueled by cycles of violence and societal norms of machismo and toxic masculinity. The comprehensive 2025 report underscores the need for multifaceted approaches combining prevention, support, and justice to address femicide’s devastating impact on women and their children across Brazil.