UN Women Brazil challenges media language norms

UN Women Brazil has launched the Active Voice movement in partnership with Artplan, aiming to change how violence against women is reported in the media by making perpetrators more visible in news coverage.

The initiative addresses the widespread use of passive language in reporting cases such as stalking, abuse and femicide, where the perpetrator is often omitted from headlines and narratives.

Language shift aims to highlight accountability

The campaign calls for a shift from passive to active voice in reporting, ensuring that responsibility for violence is clearly attributed. Expressions that centre victims without naming perpetrators can obscure accountability and contribute to a perception of violence as abstract or unavoidable.

Data from the Brazilian Public Security Yearbook underscores the issue, showing that 84.2 percent of femicides are committed by a partner and 64.3 percent occur within the home, reinforcing the importance of clearly identifying those responsible.

Gallianne Palayret, UN Women Representative in Brazil: "Advancing legislation and strengthening support services for women is essential, but it is not enough. Cultural change must happen alongside it. The way society talks about violence against women directly influences how it is understood. When language hides the aggressor, responsibility is also hidden. The press plays a central role in this and can help reshape this narrative, without normalization."

Editorial tool designed for newsrooms

Beyond raising awareness, the Active Voice movement introduces a practical editorial guide intended for newsroom use as well as for the general public. The guide is designed to complement existing stylebooks and provide clear recommendations on applying active voice when reporting on violence against women.

The initiative positions language as a tool for cultural change, encouraging journalists and communicators to reconsider how narratives shape public understanding.

Roberta Moraes, Executive Creative Director at Artplan: "For years, we’ve grown used to reading about violence as if it simply happens. But violence doesn’t just happen, someone commits it. And when that someone disappears from the sentence, responsibility disappears with it."

Campaign rollout includes film and industry engagement

Launching in April, the campaign is supported by a film constructed from real headlines alongside a manifesto that examines the impact of narrative framing. The wider rollout includes engagement with journalists, content creators and experts to promote adoption of the approach.

Through this effort, UN Women Brazil and Artplan aim to encourage more precise reporting and contribute to a broader shift in how violence against women is understood in society.

www.unwomen.org

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