An act of “barbaric” violence where a 22-year-old gay man was gang-raped and tortured has prompted fierce reaction in Brazil and is evidence of a growing tide of hate crime in the country, according to human rights campaigners. She said opinion had been divided, with some people shocked by the case while others justified it, saying the man was gay. Brazil has one of the most alarming rates of violence and discrimination against LGBT people in the world. The national Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office reported to Human Rights Watch that, between January and June 2020, it received 1,134 complaints of violence, discrimination and other abuses against LGBT people. Hernandes, along with Ávila, attributes this rise in violence partly to the attitude of the leadership in Brazil.

Source: The Guardian June 09, 2021 13:18 UTC