In a modest martial arts studio tucked at the entrance to one of Rio de Janeiro’s beachside favelas, a group of young women practices defensive maneuvers under the guidance of a muay thai instructor. The sessions, offered free of charge, focus on practical techniques: how to deflect blows, protect the head during a fall, and break free from an arm grab. “Women are vulnerable,” the instructor, Ana Paula Lima, tells the participants, “but we don’t have to be helpless.”
Among those attending is Sabrina Fortunato, a law student who joined the class after noticing a surge in reports of gender-based violence across Brazil. The initiative, organized by the civil rights group Instituto de Defesa da População Negra in partnership with Rio de Janeiro’s city hall, emerged in response to what local advocates describe as a “flood” of incidents that have dominated national headlines in recent months.
The rise in demand for self-defense training reflects broader concerns about safety in Brazil’s favelas, where residents—particularly women—report feeling increasingly threatened in their own communities. According to recent reporting by The Guardian, gender-based attacks have intensified in urban peripheries, prompting grassroots organizations to step in where formal protections are perceived as lacking.
Brazilian authorities have acknowledged the severity of the issue. Data from the Brazilian Forum on Public Safety indicates that femicide rates remain alarmingly high, with over 1,400 women killed in 2023 due to gender-based violence—a figure that represents a slight decrease from previous years but still underscores systemic challenges. The same report notes that nearly two-thirds of femicide victims were Black women, highlighting intersecting risks of racism and sexism.
In response to these trends, federal and state governments have launched various prevention campaigns. In early 2024, the Ministry of Women announced a national pact to combat violence against women, pledging increased funding for shelters and hotlines. However, implementation gaps persist, particularly in marginalized neighborhoods where access to state services is limited.
Grassroots efforts like the favela-based self-defense classes aim to fill this void. Organizers emphasize that the training is not about promoting vigilantism but about building confidence and situational awareness. Participants learn to recognize warning signs, de-escalate tense situations, and use physical techniques only as a last resort.
The Instituto de Defesa da População Negra, which has long advocated for the rights of Black Brazilians, frames the initiative as part of a larger struggle for dignity and safety. “We’re not just teaching kicks and punches,” said a spokesperson for the organization. “We’re reclaiming the right to move through our neighborhoods without fear.”
Similar programs have emerged in other cities. In Salvador, Bahia, a collective of Afro-Brazilian women began offering capoeira-based self-defense workshops after a series of assaults near public transit hubs. In Belo Horizonte, martial arts schools have reported a 40% increase in female enrollment over the past year, according to local sports associations.
Experts caution that while self-defense training can empower individuals, This proves not a substitute for systemic change. “Personal safety skills are valuable, but they place the burden on victims rather than addressing the root causes of violence,” noted a researcher at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO) in Brazil. “True progress requires investment in education, policing reform, and economic opportunity.”
Nonetheless, for many women in the favelas, the classes offer more than physical techniques—they provide a sense of solidarity. “Coming here reminds me I’m not alone,” said one participant, who requested anonymity due to safety concerns. “We look out for each other. That matters.”
The next official update on national violence prevention efforts is expected from the Ministry of Women in mid-May 2024, when quarterly progress reports on the National Pact to Combat Violence Against Women are typically released. Advocates urge continued monitoring of implementation, especially in underserved areas.
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