Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Mass Production of Genetically Modified Aedes aegypti for Field Releases in Brazil
Published on: January 4, 2014
Femicides: female homicide in Brazil
Stela Nazareth Meneghel1, Vania Naomi Hirakata
1Curso de Análise de Políticas e Sistemas de Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. stelameneghel@gmail.com
Objective:
To assess female homicide rates due to aggression according to sociodemographic and health indicators.
Methods:
Ecological study on female homicides due to aggression in Brazil between 2003 and 2007. Information on 19,459 deaths were obtained form the Brazilian Mortality Database. Standardized female homicide rates due to aggression were correlated with 28 socioeconomic, demographic and health indicators, using Pearson's correlation test. Multiple linear regression was performed including variables with p < 0.20 and excluding those with multicollinearity.
Results:
The standardized female homicide rate due to aggression was 4.1/100,000 during the study period. After adjustment, three variables remained significantly associated with female homicides: birth rate (p = 0.072), percentage of Evangelicals (p = 0.019) and male homicides due to aggression (p < 0.001). The model had a predictive power of 69% (r² = 0.699). The Brazilian states of Espírito Santo, Pernambuco, Mato Grosso, Rio de Janeiro, Rondônia, Alagoas, Mato Grosso do Sul, Roraima e Amapá showed the highest rates during the study period.
Conclusions:
The female homicide rates due to aggression were high in Brazil and varied by region. The association with male homicides due to aggression stresses the importance of reducing structural violence to protect women against violence.
Related Concept Videos
Disorders of the Female Reproductive System
Infertility in Females
Endometriosis, a condition characterized by abnormal growth of endometrial...
External Female Genitals
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
Hormonal Regulation of the Menstrual Cycle
At puberty, GnRH begins a pulsatile release pattern, which triggers the anterior pituitary gland to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The frequency and amplitude of GnRH pulses vary across the menstrual cycle, with faster pulses favoring LH release and slower pulses favoring FSH release.
Bias in Epidemiological Studies

