Brazil’s Top Court Widens Scope of Landmark Women’s Safety Law

Brazil’s Supreme Court has unanimously voted to broaden the reach of the country’s landmark legislation protecting women from violence, a decision that extends legal safeguards well beyond the home.

The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, means the Maria da Penha law — in force for two decades and previously applied mainly to domestic incidents — can now be invoked in cases of persecution, threats, and harassment occurring outdoors. The court also determined that alleged attackers can face trial even when they have no family or romantic relationship with the victim.

All ten justices backed the expansion. Justice Carmen Lúcia, the only woman on the bench, said violence against women has continued to rise in Brazil despite the 2006 law. She argued the statute needed updating because abuse is also a matter of power, and many femicides occur outside the home in situations that are reported to police but often dismissed.

“In real life, judges reject accusations without justification, they say it is not urgent, they leave it for next Monday. Meanwhile, one of us dies,” Lúcia said. “With this ruling, this Supreme Court shows it is not blind or deaf to all of this happening against all of us women.”

Government figures show nearly 340,000 urgent protective measures were granted to women in the first half of 2026 through mechanisms tied to the Maria da Penha law — a 170% jump compared with the same period in 2020. The court’s decision is expected to make such protections more accessible in a wider range of situations.