A Brazilian councilwoman was sexually harassed in the middle of a council meeting in the coastal city of Florianópolis.
Carla Ayres was walking through the aisle of politicians when a male colleague named Marquinhos da Silva grabbed her hand, then hugged her from behind and attempted to kiss her in the middle of the session.
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Video of the unwanted advances on December 8 sparked outrage throughout Brazil, especially after Ayres posted it to her Twitter, calling it “another scene of harassment that we need to fight so that it does not occur in the streets and in the parliaments of our country.” Ayres, a progressive politician from the Worker’s Party (PT) and an open member of the LGTBQ community, also noted that it happened on that same day that the city council approved a public official focused on women’s issues in Florianopolis.
Da Silva later released a statement saying that “I sincerely apologize to her and to all the women who feel offended by my act.”
But Ayres made it clear that she intended to pursue various sanctions against Da Silva. She noted that she forwarded a complaint towards the city council that would lead to impeachment due to him breaking an article in the code of ethics. She also filed a complaint with the regional electoral prosecutor for the crime of gender political violence. And lastly, she filed a police report for sexual harassment against Da Silva.
“May his punishment be exemplary so that we never again have to experience scenes of gender political violence like the ones we have experienced in our country,” Ayres wrote on Twitter.
Although attempts have been made in recent years to stem attacks on women in Brazil, the country continues to have high numbers of sexual assaults and gender violence. In the first six months of 2021, 666 women were victims of femicide and there were 8.3 percent more rapes reported than in the same period in 2020, according to the Brazilian Public Security Forum.
Brazilian president-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is no relation to Marquinhos da Silva and is due to take office on Jan. 1, 2023, also took to Twitter to support the council woman.
“I sympathize with councilor [Carla Ayres] from Florianópolis, after the absurd episode that occurred in the City Council. Women have to occupy decision-making spaces, political spaces and always be respected.”
