Companies play a key role in combating violence against girls and women and must act on three fronts: prevention, intervention, and support. This assessment was made on Tuesday (Mar. 31) by Márcio Rosa, Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade, and Services, in Rio de Janeiro, during an event discussing Corporate Responsibility in Combating Femicide, Gender-Based Violence, and Cultural Transformation.

In his view, the productive sector must also drive the cultural transformations needed to address the causes of the high number of femicides in the country.

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In Brazil, six women are killed every day, according to the 2025 Annual Report on Femicides, prepared by the Laboratory for the Study of Femicides at the State University of Londrina. Last year, there were 2,100 victims and 4,700 attempted femicides, according to the report.

During the event, attended by representatives from major public and private companies - led by Petrobras and Banco do Brasil - the executive secretary stated that addressing gender-based violence cannot be limited to tightening criminal laws after the fact. In his view, the focus should be on taking preventive action, starting with creating a violence-free workplace.

“What is expected of companies is prevention, intervention, care, and support,” Rosa stated.

At the event, the secretary also argued that companies should ensure the same practices are applied throughout their supply chains, “going beyond their own borders.”

Rosa classified inaction on the issue as an “institutional omission” by companies, calling it an ethical failure. He criticized corporate practices that discourage reporting, expose victims, or fail to hold perpetrators accountable.

According to him, companies that fail to create safe reporting channels or that penalize victims contribute to perpetuating the problem.

“It is obviously necessary to combat an internal culture that tolerates any form of harassment or violence,” Rosa said.

The secretary also proposed that women take a leading role in developing internal policies implemented by senior management. “Culture only changes when it is accompanied by everyday, concrete, and natural actions,” he stated.

Reinforcing the Ministry of Industry’s commitment to the issue, Rosa emphasized that the National Pact for the Prevention of Femicide also involves the government and civil society. In his view, only joint action can break the cycle of violence: “This isn’t an agenda item for tomorrow; it should have been adopted yesterday,” he concluded.

Example

During the event, businesswoman Luiza Trajano, founder of Magazine Luiza - one of Brazil’s largest retail chains, specializing in electronics, home appliances, and furniture - presented Canal Mulher (Women’s Channel), created to support female employees who are victims of domestic violence. The program was launched after an employee became a victim of femicide in 2017 and provides support from psychologists and lawyers, among other resources.

Over the years, the company has even paid rent to help an employee move out of her home. The strategy was refined in 2019, when the company’s mobile app added a reporting button that immediately connects to the 180 hotline - a 24-hour public service that receives reports of violence and provides guidance on women’s rights.

“We made a pact; we also trained men to identify and address these situations, and our company will never again lose a woman to this violence,” she said.

Trajano praised the National Pact for the Prevention of Femicide, which takes an approach focused on men. “President Lula spoke to men, and at our company, we’re speaking directly to them: ‘Look, you need to take action, because one day it could be your daughter, a niece, a sister - and you wouldn’t even know it. And it’s not just ordinary people; some are secretaries who speak three languages.’”

“Companies have been hiring more and more women, and it’s important that these women feel their employers are committed to the cause,” said Wania Sant’Anna, president of the Pact for the Promotion of Racial Equity.

“Companies play an extraordinary role in raising society’s awareness of how unacceptable violence against women is,” she stated.

“The numbers are not a mere coincidence; they reflect a culture that has historically been violent toward women and tolerated,” Sant’Anna noted, citing the severity and extreme cruelty of crimes committed against them.

To support companies, the United Nations (UN) created the Global Compact. The initiative outlines ways for organizations to “take concrete actions toward the transformations we need to see in society,” said its director, Monica Gregori. Speaking at the meeting, she highlighted the importance of corporations addressing institutional violence first.

“Companies can adopt preventive measures, starting with raising awareness about gender-based violence - since femicide is its ultimate manifestation - and combating the psychological and sexual harassment that still occurs in corporations,” Gregori emphasized.

An enthusiastic supporter of the initiative, Brazil’s First Lady Rosângela Lula da Silva highlighted the role of companies and called for support for initiatives aimed at criminalizing misogyny, of which she herself has been a victim, particularly on social media.

“When we try to understand the reason behind this escalation of violence, we encounter a hostile environment for women on the internet. In this digital space, which seems like a no-man’s-land, we see the unacceptable proliferation of misogynistic, violent, and illegal content - content that preaches male superiority and incites gender-based violence,” she analyzed.

The media’s role

Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC), which manages radio and TV stations as well as websites, was represented by its CEO, Andre Basbaum, who defended the role of public media in fostering dialogue with society.

“This is a national crisis; rates of violence [against women] are extremely high, and we are addressing this through debate,” he said.

Antonia Pellegrino, EBC’s Director of Content and Programming, added that media companies are responsible for shaping the public imagination - the mental images people form about various topics. “Our programming creates new imaginaries and paves the way for transforming reality,” she said.

The 6th edition of the Walk of Silence for Victims of State Violence took place this Sunday (Mar. 29) in São Paulo. The gathering was held in front of the former DOI-Codi/SP building, one of the main centers of repression and torture during the Brazilian military dictatorship (1964–1985), which was established after the military coup of March 31, 1964.

The demonstration moved through the streets of the southern zone toward the Monument in Honor of the Political Dead and Disappeared in Ibirapuera Park, under Military Police escort.

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Organized by the Voices of Silence Movement - an initiative of the Vladimir Herzog Institute and the Center for the Preservation of Political Memory - the event brought together hundreds of people, including relatives of victims and human rights groups.

Under the motto “learning from the past to build the future,” the organizations not only honored the memory of the victims of the military dictatorship but also denounced the continued persistence of state violence over the decades, even after the return to democracy.

Lorrane Rodrigues, coordinator of the Memory, Truth, and Justice program at the Vladimir Herzog Institute, highlighted the importance of discussing the impacts of the dictatorship even after the return to democracy. “The military dictatorship is often seen, in the collective imagination, as something static, frozen in time - as if what happened during that period were a thing of the past, and there were no need to talk about or discuss it.”

“The march’s motto raises this discussion: trying to understand the impacts of the military dictatorship on the present, on our contemporary society, so we can reflect on the future,” Rodrigues added, emphasizing the need to strengthen democracy.

“We also need to reflect on the construction of this democracy, because the way it is today is not enough; it remains inequitable for a significant portion of the population. The march seeks to connect the past and the present in a more tangible way for people,” she explained. According to her, one of the tools for advancing memory, truth, and justice is the set of recommendations from the National Truth Commission.

“There are 49 recommendations for the [Brazilian] government, and so far - from the time they were issued until now - they have been largely unfulfilled or only partially implemented. We already have a process in place: the institute monitors the recommendations every two years. What we’ve observed are small steps, some significant advances, but very little compared to what the recommendations envision for society,” she noted.

The executive director of the Vladimir Herzog Institute, Rogério Sotilli, stated in a note that the Walk of Silence was born as a collective response to authoritarianism and attempts at historical erasure. He emphasized that the military dictatorship left a legacy of impunity, which is still reflected in the state violence the country experiences today.

“After five editions, we want to recapture the spirit that gave rise to this demonstration. We have been living in times when defending the democratic rule of law has largely been left to the highest institutions, yet we continue to face serious attacks on democracy. That is why now is the time to take to the streets and once again demonstrate our strength,” Sotilli emphasized.

More than 30 civil society organizations, social movements, and human rights groups took part in the initiative.

Toward the end of the event, the organizers read the march’s manifesto, which includes the following passage:

“It has never been more important to defend democracy. And we must never forget: this struggle is ongoing.

We must remember so as not to repeat the past. We must hold on to our memories so as not to forget our history.

Without memory, violence becomes normalized. Without truth, lies become institutionalized. And without justice, barbarism repeats itself.”

Next, the names of the victims of state violence during the dictatorship were read aloud, including Vladimir Herzog, after whom the organizing institute is named. After each name, the protesters chanted in unison: “Present.”

In recent weeks, cases of violence and hate against women dominated Brazilian news and social media – among them the femicide of a female military police officer by her partner in São Paulo, the gang rape of a teenager in Rio de Janeiro, and TikTok videos showing men simulating attacks on women who reject marriage proposals.

These incidents should not be viewed in isolation. They are part of a complex web of misogyny that connects various elements – from individual experiences of frustration to economic structures and global political agendas. Such is the conclusion of experts heard by Agência Brasil.

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Investigations into the death of police officer Gisele Alves Santana – who was found with a gunshot wound to the head in her apartment – show that her husband, Military Police Lieutenant Colonel Geraldo Leite Rosa Neto, accused of the crime, used terms in conversations that frequently circulate in misogynistic groups online, such as “alpha male” and “beta female.”

The origin of hate

The problem must be understood in its historical context. Hate groups have grown, in part due to the expansion of online spaces, but they existed long before that.

“We talk a lot about the rise in this violence, but it’s an age-old issue; it has existed since the dawn of society. We see ancient patriarchal structures of female subjugation, and the internet amplifies this violence,” said sociologist Bruna Camilo. She is a political scientist who specializes in gender and misogyny. 

Social psychologist Professor Benedito Medrado Dantas, a professor at the Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), adds that expressions of hatred toward women have intensified as a reaction to women’s achievements.

“[This has been the case] ever since women began to occupy roles in society other than domestic care. This invariably disrupts the structures of society, as well as the intimacy of domestic and family life,” he argued.

Early recruitment

Researchers have observed that increasingly younger boys are being drawn into the “manosphere” – the term encompasses internet forums, video channels, group chats, and social media profiles dedicated to promoting a conservative model of masculinity and opposing women’s rights.

Feminist activist Professor Lola Aronovich has been the target of online attacks for years. She shared what she discovered while investigating online communities, particularly gaming communities.

“There’s a lot of heavy recruitment going on. I started researching [app] Discord and saw that they were increasingly younger boys, aged from 12 to 14. I was shocked because I was used to older teenagers and adults,” Professor Aronovich said.

The process of drawing them into this discourse is gradual, she said, and the probing begins with how boys react to misogynistic terms and ideas.

“For instance, when talking about women, they’ll use expressions like ‘sluts’ and see how that boy reacts. When they sense an opening, they continue the co-optation,” she said.

Julie Ricard, a researcher at the Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV) specializing in gender studies, mapped the recruitment strategies of misogynistic groups on another platform, Telegram. The study identified 85 open communities, which she describes as “the tip of the iceberg.”

“Some are explicitly misogynistic, while others present themselves as spaces for self-help, economic development, or fitness. In these cases, young people access content that appears neutral but encounter narratives of resentment against women,” Ricard noted.

These strategies are spreading across various online platforms. Studies by NetLab, a research laboratory at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), have mapped over 130 thousand misogynistic channels on YouTube and show that topics such as “seduction and relationships,” “legal issues,” and “overcoming shyness” serve as gateways to hateful content.

Frustration and vulnerability

Why do men embrace ideas that encourage oppression and violence against women? Experts believe that the answer to this question is not straightforward, as the reasons involve elements based on individual experience. However, there are collective patterns that can facilitate the adoption of such ideas and are exploited by leaders of the “manosphere.”

The misogynistic machinery relies on emotional raw material – frustration, isolation, and insecurity, especially among adolescents and men in vulnerable economic situations, Professor Dantas points out.

When it comes to adolescents, vulnerability is inherent to this stage of life, as they are in the process of building their identity and their socio-emotional maturity. These insecurities can be exploited by groups that advocate violent masculinity and the subjugation of women. Professor Dantas warns that young people who lack a space for dialogue at home are the most vulnerable. 

“Without interactions and conflicts, there is no way for the family to filter the information they access. There is a significant process of vulnerability because they are trying to build themselves, and violent content can be more appealing,” he said.

He points out that the messages in these groups use the language of memes and humor to break down resistance. “It’s a world of messages that are easy to assimilate,” he added.

Among adult men, however, women and feminism can become scapegoats for personal problems for those seeking simplistic justifications for their experiences.

“Many present themselves as victims because they see themselves as unattractive or broke. What we see in these communities is a deep resentment toward their own situation,” Ricard said.

She highlights there are two layers of frustration in the discourse – economic and emotional-sexual. 

“These are male frustrations regarding women and their own place in society. They’re men socialized to be ‘breadwinners,’ with incomes that don’t allow them to fulfill that role,” she argued.

The hierarchy of hate

Behind the apparent spontaneity of misogynistic groups lies leadership and organization. Sociologist Bruna Camilo draws attention to those who drive the immediate process of recruitment – older men, aged 40 and up.

“These are people who have lived in the world both before and after the internet. They also tend to share a sense of resentment. Some even harbor hatred toward their own mothers,” Bruno Camilo noted.

Experts highlight the role of major digital platforms where hate communities and hate speech circulate freely. Beyond direct profit, the business leaders at the helm of big tech companies often share ideological and political affinities with the ideas promoted in these spaces.

“These misogynistic groups realized that no one was stopping them from acting on social media. On the contrary, they started getting paid for being misogynistic. More and more people are betting on this, making a living from it,” Professor Lola Aronovich pointed out.

She points out that some of these companies’ leaders are far-right activists who, for example, served in Donald Trump’s administration, such as the owner of X, Elon Musk.

Lola also highlights the asymmetry in content moderation. She questions the platforms’ argument that they cannot censor users. 

“There are examples of feminist channels that deal with reproductive rights and are not allowed to talk about abortion pills, and their content gets taken down. But when a bunch of channels advocate for the death of women, they face no sanctions,” she argued.

Political agenda

At the top of this hierarchy are also politicians who influence and benefit from the rise of misogyny.

“In the past, misogynists used to hide behind anonymous identities online. After Trump’s 2016 election campaign, we saw a major shift. They began to show their faces. Then, with the election of former President Jair Bolsonaro, the same thing happened,” Lola Aronovich said.

In Bruna Camilo’s view, the far-right’s political agenda benefits from reactionary ideals of masculinity – virility and power – and the subjugation of women.

“At its core, it’s about control over bodies. The gender debate sparks deep discussions in society. What matters to the far right is maintaining the status quo, where women don’t question things, and men hold political and social power,” she stated.

Possible paths

Despite major strides – such as the law requiring the investigation of hate crimes against women online – experts identify areas for improvement. One of these is the criminalization of misogyny in the country.

“What good is it for the Federal Police to say that a certain person was misogynistic if that cannot be classified as a crime? You can’t get very far, and it brings a sense of greater freedom and impunity for perpetrators,” Lola Aronovich adds.

Confronting the network of misogyny requires action on multiple fronts, including educational measures aimed at boys and adolescents.

“I believe dialogue is the only possible path to transformation. Men aren’t used to talking. They often don’t know how to express themselves because they haven’t learned to. We need to invest in dialogue at home and in schools,” Professor Dantas argues.

Julie Ricard adds that it is the responsibility of adults to “safeguard the self-esteem and mental health of these young people.” “We need to treat this as a public policy issue,” she said.

Regarding the political and economic groups that benefit from misogyny, solutions must include more complex mechanisms for addressing the issue, like strengthening institutions and legislation. Among these is the debate over the regulation of platforms.

“We’ve made progress on digital protection legislation, but we haven’t yet been able to prevent big tech companies from keeping misogynistic content on their platforms. Why hasn’t the lower house called representatives from these groups to account and demanded explanations about how these algorithms are built? If there’s no pushback, it’s because there are political interests at play,” Bruna Camilo declared.