How criminal harassment, the crime of a man who pursued Isis Valverde for 20 years, marks the beginning of the escalation of gender violence

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The Harassment Law, included in the Penal Code in 2021, makes it an offense to repeatedly harass someone by any means, punishable by six months to two years in prison, in addition to a fine. When the crime is committed against a woman for gender reasons, the penalty is doubled.

According to the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook 2025, reports of criminal harassment increased by 18.2% in the country between 2023 and 2024. At least ten women per hour face this type of violence, which recorded 95,000 victims last year. The percentage growth of this crime comes just behind attempted femicide, which increased by 19%.

According to experts, violence against women tends to intensify: it begins with persecution, crimes, control over family members and restrictions on movement; evolves towards threats and aggression; and, when not stopped, results in increasingly serious bodily injury. The outcome is often fatal.

— The individual shows several signs indicating that he could be the originator of this femicide. If justice were more efficient, we would perhaps have fewer cases — underlines criminal lawyer Rafael Paiva.

According to lawyers for the family of Tainara Souza Santos, a young woman knocked down and dragged for a kilometer in São Paulo, Douglas Alves da Silva had been harassing the young woman “for some time”, but no complaint had been filed. The two had a brief relationship, which she ended.

In cases where victims know their attackers, like Tainara’s, a report to the police allows them to request protection measures under the Maria da Penha law, which does not require a stable relationship. In situations without any intimacy with the aggressor or when the victim does not know who the persecutor is, as in the case of Isis Valverde, the route is the Code of Criminal Procedure, which provides for precautionary measures such as removal. The process is more complex but, according to Paiva, it should change soon.

— We are about to have a change in the legislation that will provide protective measures, like those of Maria da Penha, for other crimes falling under the Code of Criminal Procedure. Today, it is not impossible, but it requires greater legal construction – he affirms.

Experts point out that it is possible to notice warning signs early in the relationship, such as excessive interest in the woman and jealousy masked as worry. It is also common for the victim themselves to feel guilty for the abuser’s behavior and take the time to realize what is happening.

— While flirting, we can already notice the excessive interest shown in this woman. This develops into other warning signs, such as insistent contact via calls and messages. In some cases, the attacker appears at work or in other places frequented by the victim, such as the gymnasium or their children’s school — underlines Isabella Santos, psychologist from Mapa do Acolhimento, an independent organization made up of women that seeks to guarantee voluntary psychological and legal assistance to victims of violence.

According to the “How to protect myself” booklet in the reception manual, four questions can be asked to determine if a woman is a victim of persecution. If you identify one or more of these situations, exercise caution.

1. “Is he watching or controlling what you do?”
2. “Do you often show jealousy? »
3. “Does this prohibit or prevent you from working or studying?
4. “He says if you’re not his, you won’t belong to anyone else, threatening you if you abandon him?”

The impacts of persecution can be seen in different areas, according to the booklet. In social life, women begin to isolate themselves and stop going to the places they used to go. In the psychological field, we can observe anxiety, insomnia, nightmares and, in more serious cases, depression and panic syndrome. Substance abuse and acts against oneself can also occur. Physical health is also affected, with cases of headaches, abdominal, chest and muscle pain. Additionally, intestinal problems such as diarrhea may occur.

According to the law, stalking someone repeatedly and by any means – by threatening their physical or psychological integrity, by restricting their ability to move, or by invading and disrupting their freedom and privacy – is an offense. In the event of virtual harassment, the victim must present as proof:

• prints;
• screen recordings.

These documents must demonstrate that the harasser is invading the privacy, intimacy or infringing on the victim’s right to come and go.

— There is a lot of virtual harassment in the Instagram environment. She can therefore take screenshots and make screen recordings. It must send a message, disrupt your life, your privacy, your right to come and go — says Rafael Paiva.

In more serious situations, when the persecution occurs in person, the recommended evidence is:

• videos;
• photographs;
• witness reports.

In these cases, it is important to demonstrate that the individual stalks the victim repeatedly and is aware of their routine.

— It has to be something reiterated. It is not enough to take a single photo, that would not constitute substantial evidence for a conviction. You prove it by witnesses who have knowledge of this persecution; to film on site, these closed circuit cameras; or the person himself can make a video and make a report based on this evidence — concludes the criminal lawyer.

Although the law has been in force for five years and the number of reports has increased significantly compared to the previous year, this crime still suffers from under-reporting, while the true number of cases does not reach the authorities. A survey by the Brazilian Public Security Forum (FBSP), published in March, shows the extent of the lack of records: 8.5 million Brazilian women reported being persecuted in the last 12 months.

According to the Directory, the difficulty begins with the victim’s need to recognize their behavior as a crime. For Isabella Matosinhos, researcher at the FBSP, society is still learning to classify criminal harassment as violence, as it recently became a crime.

She explains that before, bullying was considered just annoying behavior. With their criminal qualification, they entered the repertoire of the security forces, broadening the debate and encouraging complaints. Yet many victims normalize these attitudes and do not seek help.

— Underreporting is still high because many women and men normalize this behavior. Many people experience this situation, but do not understand it as violence. Although this growth is expected because it is a recent crime, there is also underreporting, he believes.

The data also shows that complaints are not uniform across the country. São Paulo comes first in absolute volume, with 34,094 files, or more than a third of national complaints. In states like Amapá, the rate was 3.7 times higher than the national rate (87.2 cases per 100,000 women), reaching 319. Roraima recorded a number twice as high, with 177.4, and the Federal District, 1.7 times higher, with 149.5.

According to the researcher, the focus on states in the northern region could be linked to the strong machismo that she says is still present in the region, but could also reflect greater sensitivity on the part of the police in recording these incidents as violence.

— Because it is not physical violence, it helps to make them more invisible. The idea of ​​expanding the notion of violence against women to these somewhat more subtle and less obvious forms is relatively recent — says Matosinhos, who also emphasizes the importance of the law. — It defines that it is in fact violence and a crime.

If you are a victim of violence or know a woman in this situation, seek help. Reports can be made via 180, which operates 24 hours a day nationwide. In case of immediate risk, call 190.