Lei Maria da Penha

Lei Maria da Penha
National Congress of Brazil
  • Law No. 11,340 of 7 August 2006
CitationPL 4559/2004
Territorial extentWhole of Brazil
Passed byChamber of Deputies
Passed22 March 2006
Passed byFederal Senate
Passed12 July 2006
Signed byPresident Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Signed7 August 2006
Commenced22 September 2006
Legislative history
First chamber: Chamber of Deputies
Bill titleLaw Project 4559/2004
Bill citationPL 4559/2004
Introduced byPresidency of the Republic
Introduced3 December 2004
Committee responsibleSocial Security and Family, Finances and Taxation
First reading13 December 2004
Second reading7 March 2006
Passed22 March 2006
Second chamber: Federal Senate
Bill titleChamber Law Project 37/2006
Bill citationPLC 37/2006
Received from the Chamber of Deputies31 March 2006
Member(s) in chargeChamber of Deputies
First reading3 April 2006
Second reading11 July 2006
Passed12 July 2006
Summary
Creates mechanisms to curb domestic and family violence against women, pursuant to § 8 of art. 226 of the Federal Constitution, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Inter-American Convention to Prevent, Punish and Eradicate Violence against Women; provides for the creation of Courts of Domestic and Family Violence against Women; amends the Criminal Procedure Code, the Penal Code and the Penal Execution Law; and takes other measures
Keywords
Domestic violence, violence against women, women's rights
Status: In force

The Lei Maria da Penha (Portuguese: [ˈlej mɐˈɾi.ɐ dɐ ˈpẽɲɐ], Maria da Penha Law), officially Law No. 11,340 of 7 August 2006, targets gender based violence in Brazil, with the specific aim of reducing domestic violence in the country. Sanctioned on 7 August 2006 by president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and subsequently implemented on 22 September 2006, the law is an important contribution to an international movement of criminalizing violence against women. The name of the law is an homage to the Brazilian activist Maria da Penha Maia a victim of domestic violence.