Physical Violence Against Black and Brown Women During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Strategic Insights -

Research conducted in S & atilde;o Paulo, SP, between March 2020 and February 2022, has analyzed the characteristics of physical violence against brown and black women during the first two years of the pandemic. The study found that there were 13,329 cases of physical violence, with 77.25% against women who self-identified as brown and 22.75% against women who self-identified as black. The majority of the assaults occurred in the victims' homes, committed by a male intimate partner, motivated by sexism and involving beatings. The research highlights the need to consider the intersectionality between sex and race when creating and implementing policies to prevent such violence, particularly in atypical conditions such as a pandemic.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study analyzed 13,329 cases of physical violence against brown and black women in S & atilde;o Paulo between March 2020 and February 2022.
  • 77.25% of the cases were against women who self-identified as brown, while 22.75% were against women who self-identified as black.
  • Most of the assaults occurred in the victims' homes, committed by a male intimate partner, motivated by sexism and involving beatings.
  • The majority of the victims were young, heterosexual, and had lower levels of education.
  • Referrals to public safety services and human rights services were low, while referrals to health services prevailed.
  • The research emphasizes the need to consider the intersectionality between sex and race when creating and implementing policies to prevent physical violence against black and brown women.
  • The study highlights the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on black and brown women, who were already vulnerable to physical violence.

Statistics:

  • 13,329 cases of physical violence against brown and black women were analyzed in the study.
  • 77.25% of the cases were against women who self-identified as brown, and 22.75% were against women who self-identified as black.
  • 13,274 cases (99.3%) of the physical violence occurred in the victims' homes.
  • The majority of the assaults (72.5%) were committed by a male intimate partner.
  • Referrals to public safety services were 13.6%, and referrals to human rights services were 5%.
  • Referrals to health services were 81.3%.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. New COVID-19 Findings from Federal University Sao Paulo Described (Physical Violence Against Black and Brown Women During the Covid-19 Pandemic). Medical Patent Law Weekly. July 16, 2025; p 114.
  • Acta Paulista de Enfermagem, 2025;38.