Campaing More Firearms More Feminicide – see the film (portuguese)
With support from AEQSE and the 4D Feminist Collective, this is a campaign conducted in partnership with the NGO CEPIA.
Jacqueline Pitanguy, CEPIA’s coordinator, explains in the text below how much firearms at home disrespect the constitutional willingness to curb intrafamilial violence and offer support and protection to victims of domestic violence.
“Weapons kill or seriously injure. To this end they exist. The State has a monopoly on violence in any society. It is up to it to arm the security forces to play their role in protecting the country in war, in protecting individuals against crime and because guns kill, their possession by private individuals is restricted and controlled. In every country there is some kind of control. And the less armed the population, the lower the incidence of firearm deaths. Recent research (DataFolha, December 2018) indicated that 61% of the Brazilian population does not want these lethal instruments in their homes. This percentage exceeds 70% for women. This is not paranoia: women feel more insecure because, in fact, they are more insecure. President Bolsonaro, with the legal support of Minister Sergio Moro, presented a decree with which each adult can have up to 4 guns at home. This decree does not address the role of the state to protect its citizens from the violent conflicts that occur between private individuals and which mainly affect women victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence is constitutional matter. In its article 226 & 8, the Constitution stipulates that it is for the state to restrain violence in the context of family relations. Today there is a high number of femicides, but it is important to know that there are many more women who can escape the cycle of violence and start their lives again. They are survivors. With guns they would be victims of femicide. The National Congress should hear our voices. The female bench should be supportive of women. It is a decree that threatens us directly. ” By Jacqueline Pitanguy