The Senate approved today (22) a bill (PL) that toughens penalties in cases of violence against children or adolescents. In addition, the text makes the murder of a minor under the age of 14 a heinous crime.
The rapporteur of the text in the Senate, Daniella Ribeiro (PP-PB) accepted some amendments and, therefore, the text returns to the Chamber for a new analysis.
The text determines a penalty of three months to two years for those who fail to comply with a court decision in favor of the adoption of urgent protective measures. The bill also increases the penalty for murder against a person under 14 years of age if the crime is committed by a family member, the victim’s employer, guardian or curator or if the victim is a person with a disability or a disease that increases their vulnerability.
The proposal was named the Henry Borel Law, in honor of the 4-year-old boy who was beaten and killed in March 2021. Those accused of the crime are Henry’s mother, Monique Medeiros, and the boy’s stepfather, who are stuck.
The bill also provides for punishment for those who fail to report to the public authority the practice of violence, cruel or degrading treatment, or violent forms of education, correction or discipline, against a child or adolescent, or the abandonment of an incapable person. The penalty will be from six months to three years, but it can be increased if the omission comes from relatives or if it leads to the death of the victim.
“On merit, the project is endowed with the highest degree of relevance. Violence against children and adolescents is a serious problem that demands an adequate response from the State”, said Daniella Ribeiro.
According to its report, Dial 100, a service for denouncing human rights violations, maintained by the Ministry of Women, Family and Human Rights, recorded more than 119,000 reports of violence against children and adolescents. The rapporteur called this number “appalling”.
She accepted amendments that change the content of the bill and, therefore, it will return to the Chamber of Deputies. Among these amendments included in the text, there is one that guarantees the legal assistance of a Public Defender or a lawyer with an agreement or appointed in the defense of children or adolescents in situations of violence.
