Brazil includes abuse as a crime in its criminal code

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has sanctioned a law that includes ‘bullying’ or harassment at school and also his virtual practice as crimes in criminal lawso now they can be punished with fines and even imprisonment.

In the text published this Monday in the Official Gazette, it is stated that persons who practice abuse will have to pay fines.

Likewise, those who do it for cyber media They will face between two and four years in prison, along with a fine.

In the text, bullying is defined as “systematic intimidation, individually or in a group, with physical or psychological violence, of one or more persons, intentionally and repeatedly, without apparent motivation, by acts of intimidation, humiliation or discrimination or verbal actions, moral, sexual, social, psychological , physical, material or virtual”.

In case of virtual bullying, includes systemic abuse carried out on social networks, apps, online games or “any digital media or environment”.

According to the new law, the penalties can be even more severe if the harassment is committed in a group (more than three attackers) or a weapon is used.

Another behavior that will now also be criminally punished is causing or inciting suicide, with a sentence of two to six years in prison.

The new law also states that for crimes that are already provided for in the criminal law, such as the murder of minors under the age of 14, sentences ranging from 12 to 30 years can be increased by two thirds if they are carried out in a public or private primary school..