Luiza Brunet — Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Luiza Brunet, 64 years old, stated that she was not satisfied with the compensation that Lirio Parisotto will have to pay her in connection with the case of domestic violence, which occurred in 2016. The São Paulo Court ordered the businessman to pay R$150,000 after attacking the model during the couple's trip to New York (USA).
In an exclusive interview with g1, Brunet said that the amount represents little compared to Lirio's financial reality and questioned the effectiveness of a sentence that, according to her, practically does not affect the assets of those who committed the violence.
"It's not a victory. After so many years, more precisely 10, the sentence finally came out that condemned my attacker to compensate me for the moral damage he caused me", stated Luiza.
The model acknowledged that the courts identified the violence suffered, but considered that recognizing the damage does not necessarily mean fair reparation.
"The compensation was set at R$150,000. I know that it is a significant amount for the vast majority of Brazilians. But I also know that, given the financial reality of those who attacked me, it represents very little."
For Luiza, the amount of compensation needs to take into account not only the severity of the aggression and the damage caused to the victim, but also the economic capacity of the convicted person. She argued that, when the amount is small compared to the attacker's assets, the sentence may lose part of its effect as an instrument of accountability and prevention.
“What is the effectiveness of a conviction that practically does not affect the assets of those who committed such serious violence?” he asked.
Model says money doesn't erase violence
SP court orders Lírio Parisotto to pay R$150,000 to Luiza Brunet for assault in New York — Photo: Reproduction/Instagram
Luiza Brunet highlighted that the discussion does not mean putting a price on the pain caused by violence. According to her, no amount of money can erase an attack or completely repair the physical and emotional consequences left by the episode.
"It's not about putting a price on pain. No money can erase an attack, restore lost tranquility or fully repair the physical and emotional scars left by violence," he said.
The model also reported that, during her 10 years in court, she faced the consequences of attacks, public exposure, attacks on her image and the wear and tear of a process that, according to her, seemed to have no end.
Despite this, she said she transformed part of the experience into action aimed at defending women's rights.
"I started dedicating my voice, my work and my visibility to defending women's rights. I found, in my own story, an even greater reason to fight for so many others", he declared.
Luiza Brunet shared photos of her bruised face on social media after being attacked by Lirio Parisotto in 2016 — Photo: TV Globo
Luiza defends changes to compensation criteria
Commenting on the decision, Luiza stated that the closure of yet another judicial stage does not mean that the consequences of the violence have been erased. For her, the case also highlights the need to discuss the effectiveness of the punishments applied to the aggressors.
"We need to discuss the effectiveness of the penalties applied to the aggressors and the need for compensation criteria that consider not only the severity of the violence and the extent of the damage, but also the economic reality of those who caused it," he said.
The model defended that convictions have concrete consequences for those who commit violence against women and that victims do not need to face years of legal disputes to obtain recognition and reparation.
"Because a sentence that weighs heavily on a victim's life cannot just be an irrelevant expense in the life of her attacker," he said.
Upon concluding the statement, Luiza reinforced that the sentence represents just another stage in a trajectory marked, according to her, by courage, resistance and perseverance.
"Violence against women needs to have real consequences. And no woman should have to fight for so many years to be heard, respected and repaired."
Judge highlights the seriousness of the attacks
When determining the payment of R$150,000, the magistrate considered the severity of the physical injuries and the suffering caused by the violence. According to the sentence, documents from the criminal case that has already become final showed that Luiza suffered blows that caused fractures to her seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth ribs.
The decision also points out that the intensity of the pain was so strong that the model involuntarily lost body control and urinated on her own clothes.
According to the process, Luiza had to take an international plane trip in precarious physical conditions and under severe emotional distress. She used painkillers to endure the pain until she returned to Brazil.
The judge also took into account the public repercussion of the case, which, according to him, increased the effects of the violence on the model's personal life.
Parisotto's defense argued that Luiza had voluntarily exposed herself to the public when working to raise awareness about gender-based violence. The judge rejected the argument and stated that the model's role in defending women's rights does not eliminate the right to compensation for what she suffered.
In the judge's assessment, Luiza's public participation in this cause represents a legitimate exercise of citizenship and a way of giving new meaning to the trauma, and not a waiver of the right to receive compensation.
Court did not recognize financial losses
Luiza also requested compensation for material damages and lost profits, which correspond to the gains that a person no longer receives due to a certain event.
Among the alleged losses were the reduction of advertising work, the termination of a contract with Avon and the loss of a campaign with the jewelry company Miranda Castro, from Brasília, whose fee would be approximately R$1 million.
The judge, however, considered that the evidence presented did not allow confirming the values or demonstrating that the professional losses resulted directly from the aggression.
