President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) sanctioned, this Monday (12/9), a law that increases penalties for sexual offenses against vulnerable people, such as children and adolescents up to 14 years old. The text, published in the Official Journal of the Union, was approved in November by the Federal Senate.
The new law increases the maximum prison term by up to 30% for certain crimes, such as rape of a vulnerable person resulting in death.
Through social networks, President Lula celebrated the importance of actions that “strengthen the role of the Brazilian State in holding criminals accountable and in preventing and welcoming victims.”
“There will be no impunity for crimes against the sexual dignity of children, adolescents, the elderly and vulnerable people. Today I sanctioned Law No. 15.280/2025, which strengthens measures for the prevention and repression of these crimes and extends the protection mechanisms for victims and their families,” the president wrote.
Discover the changes to sanctions provided for by law:
- Rape of a vulnerable person: from 8 to 15 years old to 10 to 18 years old;
- Rape of a vulnerable person with serious bodily harm: from 10 to 20 years to 12 to 24 years;
- Rape of a vulnerable person with death: from 12 to 30 years to 20 to 40 years;
- Corruption of minors: from 2 to 5 years to 6 to 14 years;
- Having sexual relations in the presence of anyone under 14 years old: from 2 to 4 years old to 5 to 12 years old;
- Subjecting children under the age of 18 to sexual exploitation: from 4 to 10 years old to 7 to 16 years old;
- Offer, transmit or sell rape scenes: from 1 to 5 years to 4 to 10 years.
The Penal Code provides that the offenses of rape of a vulnerable person cover children and adolescents up to 14 years old; people who, due to illness or disability, do not have the necessary discernment to carry out the act; people who, for one reason or another, are unable to resist the act – for example, drunk, unconscious or under the influence of drugs.
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The law sanctioned by Lula modifies the Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure (CPP), the Penal Enforcement Law, the Status of Children and Adolescents (ECA) and the Status of Disabled Persons.
The new legislation also provides that all protection measures provided by the Maria da Penha Law can be applied in cases of sexual crimes against vulnerable people. According to the text, the accused arrested as a precautionary measure must undergo an examination to identify his genetic profile, by DNA extraction.
In addition, a person convicted of a sexual crime can only have access to a more lenient regime or to penal advantages if the criminological examination reveals no signs of recidivism.
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