Santa Maria Councilor Helen Cabral Faces Gender-Based Political Violence in Chamber
Santa Maria councilor Helen Cabral faced misogynistic political aggression during a chamber session, prompting legal action and calls for institutional accountability.
- • Helen Cabral was verbally attacked by councilor Tony Oliveira in the Municipal Chamber of Santa Maria.
- • The attack was described by Cabral as misogynistic and politically motivated due to her gender.
- • The incident coincided with the 5th Municipal Week of Non-Violence Against Women, a law authored by Cabral.
- • Oliveiro apologized for his 'firm exclamation' but denied any physical threat and plans to seek Cabral's censure.
Key details
Vereadora Helen Cabral (PT) from Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, reported a serious case of gender-based political violence during a recent Ordinary Plenary Session in the Municipal Chamber. While advocating for public servants' rights related to transparency and the installment of the 13th salary, Cabral was verbally attacked by councilor Tony Oliveira, a member of the government base, who confronted her aggressively in what she described as a clear misogynistic attempt at intimidation.
Cabral highlighted that the attack was not rooted in ideological dispute but in her being a woman in a position of political power. Notably, the incident occurred during the 5th Municipal Week of Non-Violence Against Women, a law authored by Cabral herself. She demanded accountability from the Municipal Chamber's presidency and emphasized that gender-based violence is a crime and an affront to all women within the institution.
In response, Cabral filed a police report and formally requested the Mesa Diretora to take necessary institutional actions against Oliveira. Oliveira, meanwhile, apologized publicly, calling his behavior a misunderstood "firm exclamation," denied any physical threat, and accused leftist parties of distorting the facts. He also intends to submit a request for Cabral’s censure to the Ethics Council.
This incident underscores ongoing challenges faced by women in Brazilian local politics, especially regarding misogyny and political intimidation. Cabral’s case is one of the most severe gender-based political aggressions she has encountered, highlighting the urgent need for stronger institutional measures to combat such violence.
This article was synthesized and translated from native language sources to provide English-speaking readers with local perspectives.