Brazil: Youth, women, black people hit hardest by violence
A study by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) reveals that the impact of violence in Brazil varies by age, gender, and skin color. Adolescents and young adults, women, and black and brown individuals are more affected by this problem than other social groups in the country.
The data analyzed come from medical and hospital reports from Brazil’s public healthcare system, the SUS, and from statistics provided by the Brazilian government agency IBGE for 2022 and 2023.
The study shows that 65 percent of youth deaths result from external causes, such as violence and accidents. In absolute terms, this represents 84,034 of the 128,826 deaths reported in 2022 and 2023.
Individuals aged 15 to 19 are generally more prone to physical violence and are more likely to be victims in conflict situations. Among those aged 20 to 24, young people face a higher risk of violent death, with a mortality rate of 390 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Young people are primarily affected by physical aggression (47%), psychological and moral violence (15.6%), and sexual violence (7.2%). According to the study, “the older the victim, the higher the proportion of psychological violence; the younger the victim, the higher the proportion of physical violence.”
When skin color is taken into account, black and brown youth represent more than half (54.1%) of violence reports in the SUS. Black youth account for nearly three-quarters (73%) of deaths from external causes, totaling 61,346 deaths.
When considering race and gender, mortality from external causes among young black men reaches 227.5 per 100,000 inhabitants.
Violence against women
The study emphasizes, however, that women are the main victims of violence reported in the SUS across all states and the Federal District, particularly girls aged 15 to 19.
Among Brazilian states, the Federal District and Espírito Santo report one case of violence for every 100 women. Gunshots and stabbings are the main causes of violent death among young women.
According to the Fiocruz study, young people with disabilities were victims of violence in one-fifth (20.5%) of reports. The data indicate that these young people had some form of mental or behavioral disorder, or an intellectual disability.
