A recent study by Ipec, conducted in collaboration with the Black Reference Institute and the Education System for an Anti-Racist Transformation project, discovered that a majority of Brazilians perceive their nation as racist.
This survey of 2,000 respondents from 127 municipalities across Brazil, aged 16 and over, took place from April 14 to 18, 2023.
According to the results, 81% of those surveyed acknowledged racism in the country, with 60% expressing strong agreement with the statement and 21% partially agreeing.
Particular demographics, such as black and brown women, black men, residents of peripheral municipalities, and low-income families, showed an above-average agreement rate.
When exploring the motivations behind racism, most respondents (62%) identified it as a practice against an ethnic group, while 25% pointed to religion as a trigger. In contrast, 18% attributed racism to cultural practices.
The study also analyzed perceptions of inequality, with 44% citing skin color as the main contributor.
However, respondents aged 60 and over and those with primary education had more difficulty pinpointing ethnicity as the main factor.
Racist action was primarily seen as verbal violence by 66% of respondents. Meanwhile, unequal treatment was highlighted by 42%, and religious intolerance was ranked fifth at 23%.
Only a small fraction (5%) identified racism as the state’s and other organizations’ institutional actions.
Furthermore, the study found certain groups were more likely to witness racism, including black women, people associated with individuals with disabilities, and residents of peripheral regions.
In contrast, lower observation rates were reported by those living in the South region, people with primary education, and residents of interior cities.