Amapá Sees Alarming 347% Surge in Femicides, Leading Brazil's National Increase
The Brazilian Public Security Yearbook has revealed that the state of Amapá experienced the most significant rise in femicides nationwide in 2025, with a staggering 347.7% increase over the previous year. This surge brought the rate to 2.2 victims per 100,000 women, placing Amapá at the forefront of this grim statistic. The state also reported the highest rate of attempted femicides, nearly four times the national average, with 14.9 attempts per 100,000 women. Furthermore, Amapá leads the country in the rate of threats against women and maintains critical levels in sexual crimes and threats. Nationally, femicides increased by 4% in 2025, reaching a record 1,571 cases, averaging four women murdered daily. This marks the highest number of registered femicides since the crime was first defined in 2015. The yearbook indicates that 44.4% of all female homicides in Brazil in 2025 were classified as femicides, with 79.8% committed by partners or ex-partners, and 62.5% occurring within the home. Amapá's Secretary of State for Justice and Public Security contested these findings, citing a different methodology and claiming that official data from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security shows a historical decrease in intentional violent deaths over the past three and a half years, attributing the yearbook's figures to statistical distortions caused by applying rates to a smaller population. They also highlighted significant reductions in other violent crimes, such as homicides and robberies.
The stark contrast between the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook's findings for Amapá and the state's own defense highlights a critical challenge in public safety data interpretation and reporting. While the yearbook points to a severe increase in femicides and related offenses, suggesting potential systemic failures in protection mechanisms, Amapá's response emphasizes methodological differences and claims significant overall crime reduction. This discrepancy necessitates a deeper investigation into data collection and analysis standards to ensure accurate assessments of violence against women. Future policy interventions should consider both the specific trends in femicide and the broader context of crime statistics, focusing on evidence-based strategies that address domestic violence, improve reporting accuracy, and enhance judicial and protective services for vulnerable populations within the state.
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