20 Years of the "Maria da Penha" Act:

Advances, Challenges, and the Persistent Fight Against Domestic Violence in Brazil

Abstract

The promulgation of Act No. 11,340/2006 (known as the "Maria da Penha" Act) represented a watershed moment in the comprehensive protection of women's rights in Brazil, resulting from a consolidated international condemnation of the Brazilian State. Upon completing two decades of enforcement, this article critically analyzes the institutional advances, normative innovations, and persistent structural challenges in combating domestic and family violence. The study examines the efficacy of urgent protective measures, the consolidated jurisprudence of superior courts — such as the unconditional nature of criminal action and the prohibition of alternative sentences —, as well as the integrated performance of the Judiciary and the Public Prosecutor's Office. Furthermore, it addresses contemporary obstacles, highlighting the deficient interiorization of the protection network in remote regions, the intersectional vulnerability of Black, indigenous, and trans women, the inclusion of children as direct victims, and the emergence of digital violence. It is concluded that, while the legislation has profoundly altered social consciousness and the punitive standard, the eradication of femicide and structural machismo demands the universalization of public policies structured on education, economic autonomy, and the overcoming of institutional racism.