When Women Try to Leave, Men Kill Them: Inside Brazil’s Femicide Crisis

“If you think you're going to be with someone else, you're mistaken. You're going to live with me. Otherwise, we'll both die,” threatened Lisete Maria Steinke Heissler’s ex-husband. This confrontation marked the beginning of an escalating cycle of violence that nearly cost Lisete her life.

A 51-year-old resident of Lajeado in southern Brazil, Lisete had been with her husband for 24 years without witnessing any signs of aggression. She met him when she was 22 through mutual friends, and their relationship had remained stable ever since.

However, in 2018, her husband became increasingly volatile.

It started with offensive language and harsh treatment. As their arguments intensified, Lisete decided to leave their shared home in November 2019, moving in with her sister. The separation remained informal, without legal divorce proceedings.

“One day, he would come over and ask to talk. And the next, he would return in a rage: 'I'm going to kill you,' he would threaten,” she recalled.

In January 2020, he broke into her house armed with a knife, though she managed to convince him to leave. The following day, she filed a police report and immediately obtained a restraining order.

Just twelve days after the break-in, he returned with a gun. Lisete hid in a bedroom closet and called the police. "He knew the house well. He searched for me and found me. He said, 'Come out, or I'll kill you right here,'" she told More to Her Story.

When police arrived, he shot her three times in the back before taking his own life. After spending five days in the hospital, Lisete was discharged and continues to rebuild her life and heal from the tragedy.

Lisete survived where countless other women in Brazil did not — a country with the third-highest femicide rate in Latin America. In this largest nation on the continent, there were 1.4 cases per 100,000 women in 2023, according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), a United Nations agency promoting regional social and economic development.

The Maria da Penha Law (LMP) stands as Brazil's primary legislation against domestic violence toward women. Before its enactment in 2006, femicide was simply classified as a "crime of passion." It wasn't until 2015 that femicide was introduced into the Brazilian Penal Code as a distinct crime carrying harsher sentences, ranging from 12 to 30 years in prison.

Despite these legislative advances, femicide rates have persisted. Brazilian authorities documented 1,463 femicides in 2023— an increase of 1.6 percent from 2022 and the highest number since 2015, according to the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook published by the Brazilian Forum on Public Security (FBSP).

In response, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed legislation increasing femicide sentences to 20 to 40 years — the most severe penalty in Brazil's Penal Code. With this amendment, femicide is now recognized as a specific crime rather than merely a variation of homicide. The law also introduces new aggravating factors that can further increase sentences, including the use of poison, torture, or other cruel methods, ambush attacks, or any means that prevent a victim's defense.

This approach marks a stark contrast to the policies under the previous far-right administration of President Jair Bolsonaro, when funding for gender violence initiatives was drastically reduced. The Brazilian Institute for Socioeconomic Studies (Inesc) reported that between 2020 and 2023, resources for these policies were cut by 94 percent.

Yet women’s rights experts argue that harsher legal penalties are the beginning of a far more complex solution to eradicating femicide and gender-based violence (GBV) in Brazil.

"Imprisonment alone is not the answer to any kind of violence, especially GBV,” said Leonardo Moreira, who is a judge from the Women's Domestic and Family Violence Coordination Office at the Court of Justice of Minas Gerais (TJMG).

“Confronting GBV requires cultural transformation and inclusive education,” said Moreira.

Indeed, most femicide perpetrators had prior offenses, and research shows victims could have been saved through earlier intervention. A study by Brazil's Federal District Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPDF) found that all femicide victims had experienced previous physical or psychological abuse from their killers. The research identified 23 risk factors, with excessive jealousy being the most pervasive, present in 88.2 percent of cases. This typically manifests as controlling a partner’s clothing, monitoring social media and communications, and restricting work or education opportunities out of fear she might meet other people.

Other prevalent factors include a history of threats or attempted murder (73.5 percent) and the perpetrator having a prior criminal record (64.7 percent).

Relationship endings present particular danger - 61.8 percent of victims had either separated or were attempting to leave, with 26 percent having received threats against leaving. For separated couples, femicide occurred an average of just 38 days after the breakup.

So, how to stop femicides before they occur? Some advocates point to the effectiveness of reflection and accountability groups, where men who have committed domestic violence participate in educational sessions led by professionals specializing in masculinity, emotional control, and healthy relationships.

“Reflective groups have proven effective in changing behavior and reducing recidivism,” said Solange Reimberg, who is a judge and a member of the National Justice Council’s Restorative Justice Steering Committee.

In 2018, Reimberg launched the “Projeto Despertar” (Awakening Project) at the Court of Justice of Minas Gerais. This program mandates that domestic violence offenders attend rehabilitative sessions. Since its creation, around 500 men have participated in these activities.

“The meetings are held weekly, structured around discussion circles and group activities. There are also individual counseling sessions and referrals for substance abuse or mental health treatment when necessary,” she said.

According to Reimberg, post-program monitoring helps sustain behavioral change and prevent relapses. Many participants, she notes, develop a greater awareness of the impact of violence and expand their emotional repertoire.

“These groups not only promote accountability but also provide strategies for peaceful conflict resolution and rebuilding masculinity in a healthy, non-violent way,” she said.

Recidivism rates also drop: about 4 percent of men who participate in reflective groups reoffend, according to a 2023 national survey by the Federal University of Santa Catarina on rehabilitation programs for male offenders.

Moreira of TJMG emphasizes that forming education and awareness-raising efforts through Brazil’s Executive and Legislative branches is essential to creating lasting change in the country.

“Only by deconstructing sexist stereotypes can we build a safer society. We need continuous education for teachers, social workers, psychologists, and legal professionals to put an end to attitudes and narratives that degrade women,” he said.

Beyond expanding offender rehabilitation programs, advocates say preventing cases like Lisete’s requires combating domestic violence from the outset. This means providing support, encouraging reporting, and spreading awareness.

After all, femicides do not occur in isolation — they are the tragic endpoint of violence that had already been escalating.

Today, five years after the incident, Lisete still lives with her sister, with whom she often shares chimarrão on their porch. She works as a children’s tutor, loves preparing the traditional arroz carreteiro, and continues to prioritize her emotional recovery.

“I hope the authorities take protective measures more seriously because, thank God, I was able to regain my independence and find peace,” said Lisete. “But what about those who can’t?”