Disturbing TikTok Trend Reflects Brazil’s Gender Violence Crisis

A troubling trend on Brazilian TikTok shows men simulating violent attacks on women who reject them, coinciding with record-high femicide rates in the country. The videos, now removed by TikTok and under investigation, highlight a cultural shift toward normalized aggression against women.

Viral Videos Depict Simulated Attacks

Recent viral clips on Brazilian TikTok begin with men mocking romantic proposals, kneeling with imaginary rings. The tone shifts abruptly as captions like ‘Practicing in case she says no’ introduce violent scenes. Some videos show men wielding knives, stabbing unseen targets, while others depict punches aimed at pillows or gym dummies, mimicking assaults on women.

More alarming examples include men pretending to use firearms or staging realistic attacks against women who reject them. One clip even shows a man kicking a real woman in the groin after she pretends to reject him. These videos, mostly created by young Brazilian men, have sparked outrage among women’s rights activists.

TikTok and Authorities Respond

TikTok has removed many of the posts, and Brazil’s Federal Police are investigating the disturbing content. The videos reflect a broader societal issue in Brazil, where femicides—gender-based murders of women—have reached record levels.

Femicide Rates Surge to Record Highs

In 2025, Brazil recorded 1,470 femicides, the highest number since the crime was legally defined in 2015. This translates to approximately four women being murdered every day, often in horrific attacks fueled by rejection rather than robbery or organized crime.

One case involved 20-year-old Alana Rosa, who survived a frenzied knife attack in São Gonçalo after rejecting the advances of Luis Felipe Sampaio, who had pursued her for months. In Pernambuco, a 22-year-old woman was brutally stabbed and set alight by a former coworker obsessed with her. In Minas Gerais, a 38-year-old woman was fatally stabbed after rejecting a man’s advances during a mobile phone transaction.

Deep-Seated Misogyny and Cultural Shifts

These incidents highlight Brazil’s ongoing struggle with gender-based violence, rooted in deep-seated misogyny and male entitlement. Professor Fiona Macaulay, an expert on gender violence at Bradford University, explains that societal expectations treat women’s equality as threatening.

Brazil’s political landscape under former President Jair Bolsonaro, who promoted hypermasculinity and loosened gun laws, may have worsened these attitudes, normalizing violence against women. The country now faces an urgent need for cultural and legal reforms to address this escalating crisis.