Homophobia: In Brazil, one LGBT person is killed every day

Brazil leads the ranking of countries with the highest rate of murders of LGBT people in the Americas, according to a report by the NGO Grupo Gay de Bahia. From the beginning of the year until September 22, 227 murders of LGBT people were recorded: 125 of them were transphobic murders. This figure represents 1.05 victims per day. In 2016, there were 343 homicides, of which 43 percent were transphobic murders.

October 22, 2017

Gay rights group in Bahia. From the beginning of the year until September 22, 227 crimes against LGBT people have been recorded: 125 of them transphobic murders. This figure represents 1.05 victims per day. In 2016, there were 343 homicides, 43 percent of which were transphobic murders. This year's rate is the highest since 1980, when the first statistics on gender-based violence in Brazil were compiled. Among the crimes of 2017 is the transphobic murder of Dandara dos Santos, who was tortured and beaten in the city of Fortaleza, an event that sparked a series of protests in the city.

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Activists agree that the policies of Michel Temer's government have facilitated an increase in homophobia in the country, due to the elimination of the budget for combating LGBT phobia this year. The budget had already fallen to $165,000 in 2016. Congressman Jean Wyllys pointed out that repressive acts against the LGBT community have increased in recent years "due to incitement to violence encouraged by evangelical churches."

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