Gun violence is Brazil is not restricted to drug dealers and armed forces. Gun are part of everyday culture and it is not uncommon to see local authorities mishandle fire arms or high caliber automatic weapons in a casual domestic context.
" Roughly 50,000 ( in Brazil ) are violently killed each year, with at least half of these preventable deaths consisting of adolescents and children.
Lethal violence is just the tip of the iceberg in Brazil. The consequences of violence for young people are far-reaching, spanning generations. Exposure to an assault and abuse does not only leave physical scars. Recent neurological research shows that it can induce lasting physiological deficits, psychological trauma, declines in educational achievement and perverse behavioral changes, including increased aggression later in life. It is telling that young Brazilian males between 15 and 29 years old not only constitute the greatest burden of victimization but are also disproportionately represented as perpetrators." Robert Muggah, Research Director at the Igarapé Institute.