Feminist NGOs want to include political and obstetric violence in the Maria da Penha Law
Other forms of violence against women are on the rise, and there is still no specific legislation with a gender and ethnic-racial perspective.
Power Agenda - NGOs linked to the feminist movement, including Cepia, have been mobilizing to include other types of violence against women in the Maria da Penha Law, such as political and obstetric violence. These actions are gaining momentum after the Chamber of Deputies approved this week the creation of emergency protective measures in response to violence against women.
The Maria da Penha Law established criteria that expedite the granting of measures, which will remain in effect as long as there is a risk to the physical, psychological, sexual, financial or moral integrity of the victim or her dependents, as explained by lawyer Leila Linhares Barstad, who is part of the group that drafted the Maria da Penha Law.
In this sense, the group called Consórcio Lei Maria da Penha, of which Cepia is a member, has promoted and encouraged a broad dialogue with women's movements and organizations that bring to light other serious forms of violence, such as obstetric violence, violence perpetrated by public officials, institutional violence, violence in labor relations, political violence, and others.
– These violent actions have a strong impact on the lives of women, especially black women, who are the most affected according to data from the Atlas of Violence against Women – she states.
The Maria da Penha Law targets family and domestic violence, and women's demands now focus on violence occurring outside the home. The law sought to address a form of violence reported by victims, but which Brazilian society considered "a love blow doesn't hurt" and "no one interferes in a fight between a husband and wife."
"With this law, the State stepped in and established the need to prevent violence, provide care for women in situations of violence, and hold their aggressors accountable. The Maria da Penha Law responded to women's demands specifically in the context of domestic and family violence," says Leila Barstad.
Other forms of violence against women are on the rise, and there is still no specific legislation with a gender, ethnic, and racial perspective. According to the lawyer, the consortium hopes that this dialogue with women's organizations and movements will produce a legislative proposal with a feminist and anti-racist perspective, combined with the Maria da Penha Law, that responds to the demands of women at all levels and the recommendations of the OAS Committee of Experts.
There is already a law on political violence, from 2022, but Leila emphasizes that what is important is a general law that encompasses all forms of gender-based violence against women and includes public policies to respond to this violence. There is no defined deadline for the creation of this legislative proposal. To this end, the consortium has been promoting extensive dialogue with women's organizations and movements, the Legislative branch, and now wants to include the new Ministry of Women. (Information from...) Extra online.