Female homicides in Brazil: global burden of disease study, 2000–2018

Background

Female homicides are a public health-relevant issue, and its spatial distribution may evidence socioeconomic vulnerabilities. This study aims to analyze the temporal and spatial trends of female homicides in Brazil and investigate socioeconomic-demographic factors associated with it.

Methods

This is an ecological, descriptive, and analytical epidemiological study investigating the age-standardized female homicide rate in all Brazilian municipalities between 2000 and 2018, divided into three periods. Spatial and temporal analyses were conducted using the Global Moran's Index and LISA to identify clusters of high and low rates. Rates were also calculated by population size and means of violence across macro-regions. For the last period, a multivariable linear regression model analyzed the association of female homicide rates with social, economic, and geographic factors.

Findings

Female homicide rates in Brazil remained high during the studied period, with differences in trends between regions. Among the potentially associated factors, it was observed that male homicide rate, the high percentage of violent deaths among black women and those with low levels of education, in addition to the low Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, were positively associated with female homicide, whereas larger cities were negatively associated.

Interpretation

These findings show that Brazil is a country with a high risk of female homicide. Nevertheless, the vulnerability of women is unequally distributed in the country. Female homicides are mostly caused by domestic conflicts but can also be influenced by changes in the urban and social contexts.

Funding

This project is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.