Brazil authorises pepper spray for women's self-defence as femicides reach 1,571 in 2025

Law signed after Congress vote

Brazilian President Lula da Silva sanctioned a bill on Friday 24 July authorizing the sale of pepper spray to women aged 18 and older as a personal defence measure. The law was sanctioned with partial vetoes and published on Friday, taking effect immediately. The National Congress had approved the legislation last month, and its publication in the Diário Oficial da União makes the law effective immediately. The move comes as Brazil confronts its fourth consecutive year of rising femicides, with the government framing the measure as a tool for women's safety in a context of persistent gender-based violence.

Purchase conditions

Women buying the aerosol must present an official photo ID, proof of fixed residence, and a criminal record certificate confirming no conviction for a wilful crime. Only canisters of up to 50 millilitres are permitted for civilian use; larger containers are reserved for public security agents and the armed forces. Retailers authorized to sell the device must keep purchase and sale records for five years, together with the data of the buyer and the person who will possess the spray. They are also obliged to provide basic instructions on correct usage. The law specifies that each device is for individual use, non-transferable, and cannot contain lethal substances or substances with permanent toxicity. Its use is licit only in situations of legitimate self-defence: repelling an unjust aggression that is occurring or imminent.

Vetoes soften original bill

Lula used his partial veto to strip two provisions. One would have required express authorization from legal guardians for adolescents between 16 and 18, meaning the final text keeps sales automatic for adult women. The second scrapped penalties (such as fines) for women who use the spray outside the law’s defined parameters, a measure the president described as contrary to the public interest. In his message to the Senate, Lula explained the reasoning:

By imposing on the user herself heavy administrative sanctions without establishing objective criteria for conduct and parameters for dosage, which could result in disproportionate liability of the woman that the very norm intends to protect.

Record femicides form backdrop

The legislative process unfolded against a backdrop of worsening violence. In 2025, Brazil recorded 1,571 femicides, the highest annual tally since 2015 and the fourth straight year of increase. Lawmakers pointed to this steady climb as the primary justification for the new measure.