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One of the administrators of the Facebook group Mulheres Unidas Contra Bolsonaro (Women United Against Bolsonaro) filed a formal report with the Civil Police in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil after she was physically attacked and beaten by three unidentified men.
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According to the woman, she was attacked as she arrived home in the northern part of Rio. The Facebook account, which was created about a month ago, has been hacked several times, and according to the woman who was attacked, the men who claimed responsibility were identified as supporters of Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right candidate who openly supports torture.
Women in the group have been verbally assaulted and threatened via the internet.
“One of them got out of the back of the car and punched me,” the woman who is being identified only as Maria for security reasons, said. During the attack, another man took her phone and then fled in a taxi that was waiting for them less than a block away, according to Maria’s account.
Legislator and conservative politician Bolsonaro is currently leading the presidential polls ahead of Brazil’s Oct. 7 presidential elections but his campaign has been recently hit by the #EleÑao (#NotHim) campaign, spearheaded by women who are warning of the dangers he represents for women’s rights.
An Ibope poll recently confirmed that 54 percent of women said they wouldn’t vote for him “at all.” Bolsonaro is facing the highest percentage of rejection among women.
The candidate had become controversial among women for comments targeting them and promoting discrimination in the workplace. For example, in 2014, he responded to a political contender, Workers' Party legislator Maria do Rosario, who accused him of being a rapist saying: "I wouldn’t rape you because you do not deserve it."
LGBTI groups, who have also been targetted by Bolsonaro's homophobic rants, have joined the #EleÑao campaign as well.
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