Men in Brazil Training to Kill Women on TikTok

The Brazilian government has launched a formal intervention and legal inquiry into TikTok following the viral spread of a misogynistic trend where men film themselves simulating violent attacks on women. The trend, characterized by the slogan I’m training in case she says no, involves users delivering punches, kicks, and knife strikes to mannequins designed to represent women as a response to romantic rejection.

The surge of these videos reached a peak around March 8, 2026, coinciding with International Women’s Day. This digital trend has been linked to real-world violence, specifically a brutal attack in February 2026 where 20-year-old Alana Anisio Rosa was stabbed approximately 50 times at her home. According to the victim’s mother, Jaderluce Anisio de Oliveira, the attacker had been consuming the specific type of misogynistic content circulating on social media before the assault.

Government Intervention and Legal Action

On March 10, 2026, the Brazilian government demanded an explanation from TikTok regarding its efforts to detect and remove misogynistic content. On March 11, 2026, the Brazilian Ministry of Justice formally summoned the platform to provide details on its moderation processes and the algorithms used to recommend content.

The Ministry of Justice issued an official notice giving TikTok five days to explain several critical areas of platform governance, including:

• The specific mechanisms employed to detect and remove misogynistic content.
• The role of the recommendation algorithm in contributing to the spread of these videos.
• Whether the profiles sharing the training content received any financial remuneration from the platform.

In addition to the Ministry of Justice, the Brazilian Federal Police have opened an investigation into the trend. Police are currently investigating at least four accounts responsible for the content that trended under the label in case she says no.

Platform Accountability and Legal Precedents

In a statement to AFP, TikTok indicated that the questioned posts were removed from the platform and that its team is working to identify further infringements.

However, the Brazilian Ministry of Justice has stated that the platform’s obligations extend beyond the simple removal of content. The ministry pointed to a recent ruling by Brazil’s Supreme Court, which established that social networks face civil liability when they host content that constitutes crimes against women.

The situation has raised significant concerns regarding the radicalization of men through algorithmic recommendations and the tangible consequences of online hate speech. This development occurs against a backdrop of rising violence against women in the country; official data shows Brazil recorded 1,518 murders of women in 2025, the highest number in the decade since femicide became a crime.