In Rio, state prosecutors create group to combat femicide

Rio de Janeiro state prosecutors announced the creation of a Special Group to Combat Female Homicide (GECOHM) in order to reduce gender violence in the state of Rio de Janeiro. One of the goals of the group is to map crimes reported as femicide—sex-based hate crime.

Data from Dossiê Mulher 2016 [2016 Women's Dossier], released by the Public Security Institute (ISP), show that 49,300 women were victims of aggravated assault; 642 suffered attempted murder; and 360 were killed in the state in 2015.

The initiative was launched by the Center on Domestic Violence (CAO) from the Prosecution Service and aims to meet the target of reducing femicide crimes, as established by the National Strategy for Justice and Public Security.

The group will devote their effort to solve the problem of female homicide. According to CAO coordinator Lúcia Iloízio, the creation of the group will improve the operation of state prosecutors.

"With this, we can achieve an effective mapping of the number of cases being investigated. We have collected these data, but they have to be confirmed," he said.

Assisting justice prosecutors, the group may also request investigatory procedures and protective measures for victims and their families. "In individual cases, we will provide protection and support to the family, either by granting protective measures based on the Maria da Penha Law (Brazilian law to protect women), and also by submitting the case to social assistance," said Lucia Iloízio.

Translated by Amarílis Anchieta