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Brazilian state to ban toy and replica guns in bid to reduce violent crime Brazilian state to ban toy and replica guns in bid to reduce violent crime
(about 5 hours later)
A Brazilian state will ban all toy and replica guns under a new law designed to help reduce violent crime. A Brazilian state is to ban all toy and replica guns under a new law designed to help reduce violent crime.
From next year, shops selling toy or replica guns in the Federal District of Brazil's capital, Brasília, will be subject to a fine of BRL 5,000-100,000 (£1,398-£27,948), be closed for 30 days, or lose their trading licence. The law was introduced on Monday and comes into effect next year. From 2014, shops selling toy or replica guns in the federal district of Brazil's capital, Brasilia, will face fines of 5,000-100,000 real (£1,400-£28,000), be closed for 30 days or lose their trading licence.
"It is in search of a new culture, one of non-violence, that has to come from our children. It is a work of transformation and of cultural transformation," said the sub-secretary for the protection of victims of violence at the state government, Valéria de Velasco. "Toy guns don't kill, but they symbolise an attitude." "It is in search of a new culture, one of non-violence, that has to come from our children," said Valéria de Velasco, minister for the protection of victims of violence in the state government. "It is a work of transformation and of cultural transformation. Toy guns don't kill, but they symbolise an attitude."
De Velasco developed the law as part of a wider series of public policy actions designed to "reduce violence and construct a new culture – the culture of peace", she said. De Velasco developed the law as part of a wider series of public policy actions designed to reduce violence and "construct a new culture – the culture of peace".
The Federal District is the first Brazilian state to pass such a law, despite rising homicide rates in a country where violent crime is an ever-present fear and much of the population has been victim to some kind of armed assault. In two months, five cases of entire families being murdered have occurred in Brazil. The federal district is the first Brazilian state to pass such a law, despite rising murder rates in a country where violent crime is widespread and many inhabitants have been victims of some kind of armed assault.
According to a recent study by the Brazilian Centre for Latin-American Studies (Cebela) in Rio de Janeiro, the homicide rate in Brazil rose from 24.8 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1996 to 27.1 per 100,000 in 2011. Cebela produces an annual map of violence in Brazil. In just two months, Brazil has seen five cases of entire families being murdered.
De Velasco ran a pilot scheme in 11 schools earlier this year in Ceilândia, one of Brasília's poorest and most violent satellite towns, home to many workers in the city's service industries. The city saw 119 homicides in 2012, in a population of 350,000. According to a recent study by the Brazilian centre for Latin-American studies (Cebela) in Rio de Janeiro, the homicide rate in Brazil rose from 24.8 per 100,000 inhabitants in 1996 to 27.1 per 100,000 in 2011. Cebela produces an annual map of violence in Brazil.
In the scheme children were encouraged to produce anti-violence designs and swap toy guns for books. In total, 502 toy weapons were swapped for books – including replica guns and even toy swords. "This intervention enforces the importance of this law, how children assimilate new concepts and adopt them as theirs," de Valesco said. "Children are going to take this discussion to schools, to their families and to the community in general." De Velasco ran a pilot scheme in 11 schools earlier this year in Ceilândia, one of Brasília's poorest and most violent satellite towns, home to many workers in the city's service industries.
Replica guns are also a target of the new law – in 2012, they were used in 12% of armed assaults in the Federal District, said de Valesco. In São Paulo, that rose to 18%. "This is a big number. It shows that bandits are using toy guns to commit violence against the population." The city saw 119 homicides in 2012, in a population of 350,000.
The new law has been widely welcomed, especially by parents. "I think it's marvellous," said Neide do Nascimento, 48, a domestic maid in Brasília who is a resident of Ceilândia and mother of three children. "This law should have been made before. We lost a lot of time. We lost a lot of lives." In the scheme children were encouraged to produce anti-violence designs and swap toy guns for books.
In 2008, Ms do Nascimento's daugher, Pollyane Araujo, then 17, was a victim of violent crime when she was on a bus in Ceilândia that was robbed by two armed men. Pollyane was forced to get off the bus by the robbers who held a gun to her head and used her as a shield to get to their getaway vehicle. In total, 502 toy weapons were swapped for books – including replica guns and even toy swords.
Ms do Nascimento said the law should be expanded to cover violent video games. "It is absurd. It is a lot of violence. We don't need this. We already have this in real life, unfortunately," she said. "This intervention enforces the importance of this law, how children assimilate new concepts and adopt them as theirs," de Velasco said.
"Children are going to take this discussion to schools, to their families and to the community in general."
Replica guns are also a target of the new law – in 2012, they were used in 12% of armed assaults in the federal district, said de Velasco.
In São Paulo, that rose to 18%. "This is a big number. It shows that bandits are using toy guns to commit violence against the population."
The new law has been widely welcomed, especially by parents.
"I think it's marvellous," said Neide do Nascimento, a domestic maid in Brasília who is a resident of Ceilândia and mother of three children. "This law should have been made before. We lost a lot of time. We lost a lot of lives."
In 2008, Do Nascimento's daugher, Pollyane Araujo, then 17, was a victim of violent crime when she was on a bus in Ceilândia that was robbed by two armed men.
Pollyane was forced to get off the bus by the robbers who held a gun to her head and used her as a shield to get to their getaway vehicle.
Do Nascimento said the law should be expanded to cover violent video games.
"It is absurd. It is a lot of violence. We don't need this. We already have this in real life, unfortunately," she said.
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