Brazilian churches are speaking up as the South American country hits a new record of femicides: four women murdered every day, the World Council of Churches reports.

The number of femicides reached a record high in Brazil in 2025: 1,470 cases were recorded from January to December, according to data from the Ministry of Justice and Public Security.

This total surpasses the 1,464 cases recorded in 2024, the highest number until then. Official femicide records indicate that, on average, four women were killed each day in 2025.

Speaking for the Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession in Brazil, Rev. Mauro de Souza expressed deep concern and indignation over the increase in femicide rates in the country.

"Each woman murdered represents a life brutally cut short, a serious violation of human dignity, and an attack on the gift of life granted by God," he stated.

"Femicide is the most extreme expression of a culture of inequality, domination, and machismo that directly contradicts the Gospel of Jesus Christ," he added.

The church released an official statement on Jan. 21.

It said, "Jesus Christ, in his life and ministry, broke oppressive structures, welcomed women, restored wounded dignity, and proclaimed the Kingdom of God as a space of justice, care, and fullness of life.

"Following Christ means taking a clear stand against all forms of violence, especially when it affects women and girls in a systematic and structural way," reads the statement.

"As a church, we reaffirm our commitment to denounce all forms of violence against women; to welcome and accompany victims and survivors; to promote, within our communities, education for relationships based on respect, equality, and mutual care; and to call upon public authorities to strengthen policies of prevention, protection, and accountability, recognizing that the State is called to serve justice and preserve life."

The legal classification of femicide in Brazil was created in 2015, when 535 deaths were recorded – an increase of 316 percent over 10 years.

The Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil also expressed deep concern and indignation in response to the recently released data on the increase in femicides in the country.

Rev. Elineide Oliveira, a member of the church's National Diakonia Commission, noted that this scenario reveals the tragedy of lives cut short.

It further adds to the persistence of a structural sin expressed in patriarchal culture, gender inequality, and the normalization of violence against women.

"Each femicide is an affront to the sacredness of life and an open wound in the body of Christ. As a church committed to justice, we affirm: women's lives are sacred and nonnegotiable," she said.

"Diakonia demands concrete action. We call on our communities to strengthen networks of welcome, protection, and support for women experiencing violence. Churches must be safe spaces of listening and pastoral care."

"Education for peace is a path of transformation. We reaffirm our commitment to educational practices that promote egalitarian relationships, dismantle violent masculinities, and challenge religious interpretations that legitimize submission or silencing," she added.

The alarming Brazilian scenario is connected to cases that continue to emerge in 2026

Such cases involve the murder of women initially classified under other criminal categories, attempts to erase the gender-based motivation of the crimes, and cases reaching jury trials involving former partners.

They also include situations in which the victims were pregnant.