The arrest of a man accused of stalking actress Isis Valverde for two decades has given visibility to a little-known crime: stalking. Unfortunately, this is a more common practice than you might think. In a statement to police, the actress said she feared not only for her physical safety, but also for the safety of her family. The accused, originally from Rio Grande do Sul, even hired a private detective to find out the victim’s address and telephone number and, since the beginning of the year, began to display obsessive and invasive behavior.
Stalking is just another crime in a long list of crimes against women. From 2023 to 2024, feminicides increased by 0.7%, attempted feminicides by 19% and cases of psychological violence by 6.3%. Last year, the country recorded the highest number of rapes (and rapes of vulnerable people) in history: 87,545 victims, or almost ten every hour. From the most serious to the least serious, they all fit into the same shameful context.
- Risk: How stalking, the crime of a man who pursued Isis Valverde for 20 years, marks the start of the escalation of gender-based violence
Last year, 95,026 cases of harassment were recorded in the country, or 260 per day, or more than ten per hour, according to the Brazilian Public Security Directory. There was an increase of 18.2% compared to the previous year. The real number is likely higher because crimes are not always reported. “Underreporting is high because many women and men normalize this behavior,” Isabella Matosinhos, a researcher at the Brazilian Public Security Forum, told GLOBO. “Many experience this situation, but do not understand it as violence. »
Harassment may not seem so bad compared to other horrors committed against women, but it can be a dangerous step in escalating violence. What begins as persecution and offense can evolve into assault, leading to bodily harm and even femicide. Women who have experiences of this type begin to isolate themselves, stop going to the places they used to go and suffer from anxiety, insomnia, nightmares, depression or panic syndrome.
- Posters, women lying on the ground and parents of girls: actions against femicide mobilize 90 cities across the country
The law on criminal harassment is relatively new, it was only included in the Penal Code in 2021. The crime is classified as the repeated harassment of a person, with threats to physical or psychological integrity, in person or virtually. The planned penalty is six months to two years in prison, in addition to a fine. When committed against a woman for gender reasons, the penalty is doubled. The law is well-intentioned, but in practice no one is imprisoned for long. Because it is a less offensive crime, the offender’s sentence is usually reduced.
It is up to government institutions and NGOs to expand reporting channels and encourage victims to register them, so that authorities know the scale of the problem and act accordingly. The police are responsible for investigating these cases. And to justice, punishing harassers, aggressors and murderers of women, based on the solid legislation that Brazil has built in this area in recent years. There must be zero tolerance for these cases, whatever they may be. Acting quickly and rigorously in the face of persecution can prevent even greater harm.
About The Author
