Project wants to release pepper spray for women aged 16 and over across the country
The Chamber of Deputies began analyzing a bill that authorizes the purchase, possession and possession of pepper spray by women aged 16 and over throughout the country.
The proposal was presented by deputy Gorete Pereira (MDB-CE) and expands an authorization that, today, has been restricted to the state of Rio de Janeiro since November 2025.
The text envisages amending the 2003 Disarmament Statute to create a specific legal framework for the use of pepper spray as an instrument of female self-defense. The authorization is only valid in situations of current or imminent aggression against the physical or sexual integrity of the user, with the aim of temporarily containing the aggressor.
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Under the project, the sale of the spray will be permitted upon presentation of an official document with photo, proof of residence and a self-declaration that the buyer has no conviction for a violent intentional crime. In the case of teenagers between 16 and 18 years old, the acquisition will depend on formal authorization from their legal guardian.
The proposal seeks to standardize the rules at a national level, defining criteria for both the sale and use of the product, currently framed generically in weapons and accessories control legislation.
Penalties for misuse
The project establishes administrative sanctions for the use of the spray outside of cases of self-defense. Punishments range from a warning to a fine of between one and ten minimum wages, depending on the severity of the case, with the amount expected to double in situations of repeat offense. The competent authority may also seize the product and prohibit the user from making a new purchase for up to five years.
If the use results in the commission of a crime, such as threat or bodily harm, the woman will be additionally liable under the terms of the Penal Code, without prejudice to the administrative sanctions provided for in the project.
Justification cites violence data
In the justification presented to the Chamber of Deputies, the deputy cites data from the Brazilian Public Security Forum to support the proposal. According to the survey, Brazil recorded 87,545 victims of rape and rape of vulnerable people in 2024, in addition to a 19% increase in attempted femicides in the same period.
For the author of the project, pepper spray can function as a defense instrument with low offensive potential, increasing women’s ability to react in risky situations, without equating them with firearms.
The project will still be distributed to the Chamber’s thematic committees before going to a vote.
