Body-worn cameras and gender-based violence: perspectives from São Paulo's women's police stations

Abstract

Gender-based violence, established as a public issue in Brazil following the enactment of the Maria da Penha Law, took longer to be recognized by the institutions of the criminal justice system. In this context, the police play a central role in responding to and preventing this form of violence by handling emergency calls, referring victims to appropriate services, recording complaints, and investigating cases, often serving as the first institutional point of contact after an incident. Among the legislative, institutional, and training reforms aimed at transforming the policing culture that had traditionally failed to adequately address these cases, body-worn cameras have emerged as a technology with the potential to improve police responses. Following their implementation in the city of São Paulo, beyond the official statistics, the perceptions of officers in São Paulo's Women's Police Stations indicate an increase in the reporting of gender-based violence and a greater standardization of police procedures, contributing to reduced underreporting, lower rates of secondary victimization, and the prevention of gender-based violence.