Women Took to the Streets in Cities Across Brazil on Sunday to Pressure the Chamber of Deputies İnto Voting on Bill

Women took to the streets in cities across Brazil on Sunday (2) to pressure the Chamber of Deputies into voting on Bill 896/2023, known as the Misogyny Bill. The text, already approved by the Senate, is awaiting dispatch from Chamber President Hugo Motta (Republicans-PB) under urgent procedure to reach the plenary floor. The bill would add crimes motivated by misogyny to those punished under discrimination and prejudice laws.

The proposal amends Law 7,716/1989, adding prison sentences of two to five years for misogyny, defined as "the practice, inducement, or incitement of violence, restriction of the full exercise of rights, or offense to the dignity of women, based on their condition as women. The condition of being a woman was also added to the article covering insult, offense to dignity, or decorum based on race, color, ethnicity, and national origin. Organized by the Levante Mulheres Vivas movement, demonstrations took place throughout the day in Belo Horizonte, Boa Vista, Brasília, Campo Grande, Capão da Canoa (RS), Cataguases (MG), Curitiba, João Pessoa, Juazeiro (BA), Parnaíba (PI), Pelotas (RS), Ponta Grossa (PR), Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, São José (SC), São Paulo, and Sorocaba (SP).

According to Rachel Ripani, co-founder of Levante Mulheres Vivas, the mobilization sprang from people unwilling to accept the rise in femicides and online hatred against women. "This is a mobilization that comes from civil society, a demonstration that comes from women, from the feminist movement, but also from men. We are at a moment where society agrees that digital hate speech against women has become dangerous for everyone, Ripani said.

The movement said the bill's progress in Congress has been shaped to build consensus among lawmakers for a clear, objective text that prevents digital violence against women and further curbs femicide. "At first, the evangelical caucus had doubts about whether the bill would restrict freedom of expression in the pulpit, with pastors quoting Bible passages that might be seen as misogynistic in light of today, Ripani recounted. She stressed the goal is not to block opinions but to stop criminal acts and protect women.

"It is urgent to talk about this to women, but also to teenagers, otherwise mentoring [online] continues teaching that gang rape is legal, showing how to drug a girl to film her, promoting fake nude contests in schools, Ripani warned. Carrying banners with messages such as "Brazil without misogyny, "Women alive, and "If the Chamber doesn't hear women, the streets will speak, the groups occupied key city spots, hoping the Chamber president will schedule the Misogyny Bill right after deliberative plenary sessions resume, now pushed to the week of August 10. "This is our last chance before the elections to see if we can truly move these leaders who are blocking the bill from being scheduled. Let their opinions be heard publicly, so Brazil knows which side our deputies seeking reelection this year are on, Ripani concluded.

Agência Brasil contacted the office of Chamber President Hugo Motta but received no response by publication time. The space remains open for the lawmaker to comment.