Brazil: Issue of Rape Raises Debate on Class Division and Gender

noticias.r7.com reported on May 28, 2013, an ongoing debate in Brazil about rape in relation to class division and gender. The current debate circulates around whether Brazilian authorities are more occupied and concerned in defending the privileged and protecting the international reputation of Rio, rather then concern for protecting women. Ongoing rapes in Rio have been silenced until an American tourist was raped in a van in March of this year, which initiated a change in popular areas to protect tourists rather then seeking to take the same approach in rural areas. A possible explanation for silenced rape cases is that the victims are members of the largely poor and working class, emphasizing the issue of class division and more protection towards tourists. Read Article