MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Rio condo administrators compelled to report domestic violence incidents

The measure stems from the belief that “silence kills”

Rio de Janeiro's City Council last week passed Municipal Law 8.913, mandating that condominium managers and administrators immediately report domestic violence cases involving women, children, the elderly, and animals as they unfold. Other cases should be reported within 24 hours, either in person or digitally. Failure to comply might result in heavy fines. Rio's Secretariat for Women's Policies is supporting the initiative by providing resources on the [www.mulher.rio](http://www.mulher.rio) platform.

In 2024, Rio recorded 43,700 cases of physical violence against women, with 107 femicides, the second highest number since 2016. The law was originally proposed in 2020, during the Covid-19 pandemic, when domestic violence incidents surged.

As per Law 8.913, Building administrators and managers must actively report domestic violence cases, making them legally accountable for alerting authorities when incidents occur within their buildings.

The measure seeks to reduce the silence around domestic violence, ensuring that cases reach the appropriate agencies and victims receive support. It also requires condominiums to display informational materials encouraging residents to report domestic violence, reinforcing a culture of intervention rather than passivity.

Those failing to report these incidents face warnings for a first infraction and fines of up to R$ 1,000 (US$ 176.3) for repeat offenses. These collections will be allocated to funds and programs protecting vulnerable groups.

The mandatory reporting reinforces the idea that silence enables abuse and encourages collective action to protect vulnerable individuals in a move to reduce femicides and other crimes, it was explained.

The Rio de Janeiro is unique in scope. Argentina, for example, has several laws addressing domestic violence, including National Law 24.417, which mandates protection against family violence. However, unlike Rio's norm, it does not go as far as mandating condominium managers to report incidents. Additionally, some US states have mandatory reporting laws for domestic violence, but they vary widely. Certain states require healthcare providers to report injuries caused by weapons or criminal acts, while others mandate reporting of domestic violence incidents. Unlike the Rio de Janeiro case, these provisions often focus on medical professionals rather than property managers.

While studies on the issue suggest that mandatory reporting laws can discourage victims from seeking help due to fear of legal consequences or unwanted intervention. Rio's approach places responsibility on condominium administrators rather than victims, thus piercing this psychological barrier.

Vladimir Platonow, who has run a building in Riachuelo, in the north of the city, for more than ten years, and is responsible for 132 apartments, 400 residents, and 20 employees, told Agencia Brasil that the law supports the work that representatives had already been doing. “The law does bring obligations. Is it one more responsibility? Yes. But we already had to act when we were called upon in these cases,” he said.

“Most femicides are committed inside the home, and that's why Law 8.913 is fundamental,” Rio's Secretary for Women's Policies Joyce Trindade was quoted by Agencia Brasil as saying. In her view, the measure tackles the omission of help in these cases, which are often silenced. “Omission also kills,” she said.