Brazilians Filed an Average of 364 Human Rights Complaints Per Day in 2016

Brazil recorded a staggering 133,061 complaints of human rights violations in 2016, according to a report released this week from the country’s National Ombudsman of Human Rights.

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Across 2016, an average of 364 complaints were made per day to Brazil’s “Dial Human Rights Hotline.” While shocking, overall, 2016 actually saw reports decrease by 3.3 percent from 137,517 reports to the hotline in 2015.

The round-the-clock free phone line heard complaints ranging from violations of children, the elderly, homeless people, those with disabilities, LGBT persons, cases of physical violence, psychological abuse, slave labor and terrible prison conditions.

The confidential hotline can forward on cases to relevant authorities and on request, reports can be made anonymously and also offers advice and information regarding human rights.

Reports of slave labor increased by 40 percent, violence or online discrimination against women increased by 30 percent, violence against police increased by 20 percent, while more complaints were also registered for religious intolerance, offenses based on gender identity and crimes against the homeless.

Increasing reports in these areas can be misleading. In reality, these violations may not necessarily be increasing but more people are willing to report them to authorities because of more visibility and campaigning around sensitive issues.

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The report showed that 78,000 youth represented 58 percent of the victims. Children and teenagers were most commonly abandoned, victims of psychological, physical and sexual abuse, which commonly happened within their own homes.

Gender and sexuality based violations were also widespread. Out of the victims were youths, 40 percent were gay males, 28 percent lesbians, 20 percent bisexual and 12 transgender.

But in a change from previous years, men accounted for 45 percent of reported complaints while women accounted for 44 percent.

Per capita, the Federal District of Brazil registered the most complaints, followed by the states of Amazonas, Rio Grande do Norte, Mato Grosso do Sul and Rio de Janeiro. By total numbers, the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Bahia had the highest number of complaints.