How to report sexual assault in Brazil

where to report

You can report at any police station, though many cities have a specialised Delegacia de Atendimento à Mulher (women's police station, DEAM) that handles cases of violence against women. A Boletim de Ocorrência (police incident report) is filed and, for the criminal case to proceed, an inquérito policial (police inquiry) is opened. You can also go directly to a hospital with an emergency department (Unidade de Pronto Atendimento or similar) for care and forensic collection without reporting to police first; hospitals can perform the exame de corpo de delito or refer you to the Instituto Médico Legal (IML).

what to bring

No specific ID requirement for making a report is described in the sources reviewed. The forensic exam is documented in the exame de corpo de delito, generally carried out by the Instituto Médico Legal (IML) or a hospital equipped to collect forensic evidence.

the exam window

Seek medical and forensic examination as soon as possible; it is carried out at a hospital or at the Instituto Médico Legal (IML). Delaying reduces the chance of collecting physical evidence, though a report can still be filed later.

the deadline

For adults, the limitation period (prescrição) for rape is tied to the maximum sentence under the Penal Code and is commonly cited as up to 16 years. For sexual offences against children and adolescents, a 2024 law extended the limitation period to 20 years, counted from the date the victim turns 18, rather than from the date of the offence.