Femicides: sentences for those convicted have an average of 26 years in DF

The conviction rate for perpetrators of feminicide in the Federal District is 90%, according to data from the Public Ministry of the Federal District (MPDFT) in an analysis of cases from 2022 and men already reported.

In total, in 2022, 16 complaints were filed in court, of which 6 have already been judged, all with convictions for feminicide, and the rest in the trial process.

The average sentence for perpetrators in these cases is 26 years in prison, in a closed regime. Experts and investigators maintain that this high sentence is the result of agile integration between police forces, prosecutors and the Judiciary.

In this analysis, there was 1 investigation due to the death of the author, before the complaint was filed. In 2 cases, the investigations culminated in a complaint without the qualifier 'feminicide' or accusation of another crime. There is also 1 case under investigation, without confirmation of femicide.

The data, from the MPDFT's Verum system, which monitors all homicides and feminicides committed in the Federal District, also show that of the 16 complaints, in 14 cases, including those already judged, the defendant is in prison, one perpetrator is at large and one was released at the custody hearing.

There were 9 arrests in the act by the Civil and Military Police and others due to an executed arrest warrant.

“We have a pretty high arrest rate. And everyone who was tried was convicted, as of 2022, none were acquitted”, prosecutor Raoni Maciel, coordinator of the MPDFT Life Center, explained to CNN.

Rising cases

In 2023, the number of femicides doubled compared to 2022 in the DF: there were 31 confirmed cases and there are 3 more being investigated, according to the femicide monitoring panel of the GDF Public Security Secretariat. In the first six months, there were 21 victims of the crime, which resulted in a growth of 250%, as in the same period in 2022, six women were murdered due to their gender in the capital.

“When there is a punishment and the person is arrested with a low sentence, it frustrates the family. So with a quick and high arrest, which usually happens, a quick complaint, and a quick trial with conviction, this can greatly deter a possible criminal and the high sentence of 26 years is consistent with the heinous crime”, Alexandre Patury, secretary, told the report. -Executive of Public Security of the DF.

The secretary reinforces the alert for the population to report crimes on 190 (Military Police reporting channel). “The community is reporting more. It's a turning point. It’s everyone’s responsibility,” he added.