Since its formation as a nation, Brazil has always been a dangerous place for women’s survival. However, despite the country reflecting its patriarchal culture throughout its entire history, recently, with social media, Brazil has revealed an even more misogynistic face.
Although this was never a formal law, the “defense of honor” legal thesis was frequently used in the Brazilian judiciary to acquit male perpetrators who violated women. A few years later, that argument was prohibited by the Brazilian Supreme Court, but now female bodies have a new threat: the rise of hate speech against women, such as the Red Pill phenomenon.
WHAT IS THE HONOR DEFENSE?
The “honor defense” is a legal theory used to blame victims for their own deaths, instead of holding murderers accountable for their crimes. This theory has never been legal under Brazil’s Constitutions. However, since the monarchy, lawyers have used it to justify abuses committed by men against women for their alleged “morally questionable” behavior. This theory was a direct product of a patriarchal country.
The most famous use of the honor defense occurred in the Ângela Diniz case. Ângela was murdered by her boyfriend, Raul Fernando do Amaral Street (known as “Doca Street”), in 1976 in Búzios, Rio de Janeiro. During the 1979 trial, Evandro Lins e Silva, Brazil’s most renowned criminal lawyer at the time, attacked the victim’s character and used the honor defense to justify Doca’s crime.
Initially, Doca was convicted of manslaughter, homicide without malice, which carries a lighter penalty. He was sentenced to only 18 months served in freedom. Although the judgment was a success for the defendant, it was a scandal in the eyes of the public. To the people, the sentence was far too lenient, and the trial was seen as damaging both to Ângela’s reputation and to the safety of all women. Due to these factors, the court vacated the conviction two years later.
In 1981, a new jury was empaneled. This time, the defendant faced a growing movement: Brazilian Feminism. During the first trial, many women were unaware of the case and the arguments used by Evandro to suggest Ângela was responsible for her own death.
Another shift was the national conversation regarding violence against women. In 1981, after a sequence of violent crimes committed by men against their partners, women took to the streets under the slogan “Quem ama não mata” (“Those who love, don’t kill”).
In his second trial, Doca was sentenced to 15 years in prison. It was one of the first major wins for the Brazilian feminist movement.
WHAT IS THE RED PILL MOVEMENT?
A few years after Doca’s judgement, in 2006, the “Red Pill” movement was born in the United States — a sexist ideology rooted in male supremacy. These groups do not acknowledge the gains made in women’s rights.
The movement arrived in Brazil around 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The most notorious local influencer is Tiago Schutz, commonly referred to as “Calvo do Campari.” Schutz became known for his misogynistic speeches and is currently under investigation for assault and the attempted rape of his girlfriend.
Besides Schutz, another influencer has made headlines for similar reasons: Andrew Tate. An American coach, Tate uses social media to exalt violence against women. He is often associated with the phrase “Regret Nothing”, which has been shared by self-confessed rapists — as seen in the case of the teenagers who raped a 17-year-old girl in Rio de Janeiro. A self-proclaimed misogynist, Tate is currently under investigation for human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal group to sexual exploitation of women.
THE CURRENT BRAZILIAN LANDSCAPE
Although the Red Pill movement and the honor defense theory are different, they share the same consequence: They perpetuate a culture of violence against women and promote gender terrorism in Brazil.
Recently, Brazilians have been inundated with reports of gender-based abuse. Femicide and sexual violence are rising. Men, especially younger ones, are being driven by digital content that incites hatred, as in the Red Pill’s speech.
According to the study “Elas Vivem: a urgência da vida” conducted by Rede de Observatórios da Segurança, every 24 hours, 12 women are assaulted in Brazil. Four women are murdered all day in the country. In 2025, 4,558 victims were registered, representing a 9% increase compared to 2024.
WHAT IS BEING DONE?
To combat gender-based violence, the Brazilian Supreme Court officially ruled the “honor defense” theory unconstitutional in 2023. According to the court, this argument contributes to gender inequality and perpetuates violence. Additionally, this month, Federal Deputies Sâmia Bomfim (PSOL-SP) and Duda Salabert (PDT-MG) launched a petition to criminalize the Red Pills and all the spread of misogynistic content online.
“The violence don’t begin with femicide; it begins in a discourse, in psychological violence, in the attempt to subjugate and belittle women, in dehumanization, and in the hatred spread across networks. This is exactly the environment that Bill 6075/25 seeks to address. Criminalizing the promotion and incitement of misogynistic content is an attempt to tackle one of the roots of the problem”, stated Sâmia Bomfim in a note.
Another measure taken by public authorities was the “National Pact: Brazil Against Femicide”. Launched in February, this initiative aims to tackle violence by preventing femicide and protecting victims. Since it came into force, more than 5.000 men have been arrested in connection with gender-based crimes.
The article above was edited by Alyah Gomes.
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