Joana da Paz
{{Short description|Brazilian activist (1925–2023)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox Biography
| name = Joana da Paz
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1925|4|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Quebrangulo, Alagoas, Brazil
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|2|22|1925|4|15|df=y}}
| death_place = Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| known_for = Reporting against drug trafficking and police corruption
}}
Joana Zeferino da Paz (15 April 1925 – 22 February 2023), popularly known as Dona Vitória, was a Brazilian activist. She was known for recording, at the age of 80, criminal actions in her neighborhood, contributing to the arrest of dozens of drug traffickers and corrupt police officers.{{Cite web |date=24 February 2023 |title=Morre Dona Vitória, nasce Joana da Paz: repórter revela identidade da idosa que documentou o tráfico de Copacabana |url=https://oglobo.globo.com/rio/noticia/2023/02/morre-dona-vitoria-nasce-joana-da-paz-reporter-revela-identidade-da-idosa-que-documentou-o-trafico-de-copacabana.ghtml |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=O Globo |language=pt-br}}{{Cite web |title=Quem foi Joana da Paz, que inspirou personagem de Fernanda Montenegro em 'Vitória'? |url=https://www.estadao.com.br/cultura/cinema/quem-foi-joana-da-paz-que-inspirou-personagem-de-fernanda-montenegro-em-vitoria-nprec/?srsltid=AfmBOooxRXNzkxReGDaA8nb2C8ANdMiuRaw49eZKvJasHXVr3mYYqkA8 |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=Estadão |language=pt-br}}{{Cite web |title=Joana da Paz: a mulher que enfrentou o narcotráfico e virou filme |url=https://jornaldebrasilia.com.br/entretenimento/cinema/joana-da-paz-a-mulher-que-enfrentou-o-narcotrafico-e-virou-filme/ |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=Jornal de Brasília |language=pt-BR}} Her real identity was only revealed after her death. She was viewed as a symbol of courage and the fight against criminality.{{Cite web |last=Mioli |first=Teresa |date=8 January 2025 |title=A heroína da janela: a história de Joana da Paz que marcou o jornalismo brasileiro é relançada em livro |url=https://latamjournalismreview.org/pt-br/articles/a-heroina-da-janela-a-historia-de-joana-da-paz-que-marcou-o-jornalismo-brasileiro-e-relancada-em-livro/ |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=LatAm Journalism Review by the Knight Center |language=en}}
Life
{{Tone|date=April 2025|section}}
Joana was born in Quebrangulo in the agreste of Alagoas.{{Cite web |last=Carvalho |first=Severino |date=23 March 2025 |title=Autor do livro que inspirou o filme Vitória fala das raízes alagoanas da mulher que desafiou o crime |url=https://alnb.com.br/brasil/autor-do-livro-que-inspirou-o-filme-vitoria-fala-das-raizes-alagoanas-da-mulher-que-desafiou-o-crime/ |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=Alagoas Notícia Boa |language=pt-BR}} She was thrown out and forced to leave the house where she worked as a maid after suffering numerous acts of violence, including rape by a farmer from Alagoas, which resulted in an early pregnancy.{{Cite web |date=13 March 2025 |title=Tiro na janela, estupro, falso aluguel... Veja sete fatos sobre Dona Joana da Paz, heroína da vida real vivida por Fernanda Montenegro no filme 'Vitória' |url=https://extra.globo.com/entretenimento/noticia/2025/03/tiro-na-janela-estupro-falso-aluguel-veja-sete-curiosidades-sobre-dona-joana-da-paz-heroina-da-vida-real-vivida-por-fernanda-montenegro-no-filme-vitoria.ghtml |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=extra |language=pt-br}} Her son died of heart failure before he was two years old. She wandered for a long time before buying an apartment in Ladeira dos Tabajaras favela, in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro. Joana graduated as a massage therapist from the General Polyclinic of Rio de Janeiro.
For most of her life, she faced the social challenges of living in a favela amidst the violence of drug trafficking.{{Cite web |date=23 February 2023 |title=Após morte, 'Extra' revela identidade de Dona Vitória, a idosa de Copacabana que levou traficantes e policiais à prisão com suas filmagens |url=https://oglobo.globo.com/rio/noticia/2023/02/apos-morte-extra-revela-identidade-de-dona-vitoria-a-idosa-de-copacabana-que-levou-traficantes-e-policiais-a-prisao-com-suas-filmagens.ghtml |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=O Globo |language=pt-br}} At the age of 80, dissatisfied with the increasing crime rate, she began recording drug trafficking operations, extortion and armed confrontations from her window with a camera.{{Cite web |last=Rosa |first=Nathalie |date=27 October 2024 |title=Conheça a história real de Joana da Paz, inspiração do filme Vitória, com Fernanda Montenegro |url=https://www.tecmundo.com.br/minha-serie/294252-conheca-historia-real-joana-paz-inspiracao-filme-vitoria-fernanda-montenegro.htm?ab=true& |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=TecMundo |language=pt-BR}} The recordings were handed over to the authorities and became essential evidence in police investigations, resulting in the arrest of approximately 30 people, including drug traffickers and military police officers involved in corruption.{{Cite web |date=23 February 2023 |title=Morre 'Dona Vitória', idosa que levou à prisão traficantes e PMs com filmagens feitas pela janela de casa, em Copacabana |url=https://g1.globo.com/rj/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2023/02/23/morre-dona-vitoria-idosa-que-levou-a-prisao-traficantes-e-pms-com-filmagens-feitas-pela-janela-em-copacabana.ghtml |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=G1 |language=pt-br}} For security reasons, Joana was included in the Witness Protection Program and adopted the name "Dona Vitória". She spent the rest of her life anonymously, living in several cities until her death in Salvador on 22 February 2023, at the age of 97.{{Cite web |date=23 February 2023 |title=Morre 'Dona Vitória', idosa que levou à prisão traficantes e PMs com filmagens feitas pela janela de casa, em Copacabana |url=https://g1.globo.com/rj/rio-de-janeiro/noticia/2023/02/23/morre-dona-vitoria-idosa-que-levou-a-prisao-traficantes-e-pms-com-filmagens-feitas-pela-janela-em-copacabana.ghtml |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=G1 |language=pt-br}}
Recognition
In August 2024, the Legislative Assembly of the State of Rio de Janeiro posthumously awarded Joana Zeferino da Paz the Peace Builder Award, in recognition of her courage and contribution to the promotion of a culture of peace and denunciation of violence.{{Cite web |date=27 August 2024 |title=Alerj concede prêmio póstumo a Joana Zeferino da Paz, a Dona Vitória |url=https://oglobo.globo.com/rio/noticia/2024/08/27/alerj-concede-premio-postumo-a-joana-zeferino-da-paz-a-dona-vitoria.ghtml |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=O Globo |language=pt-br}}
In 2025, the film Vitória was released in Brazilian cinemas, inspired by her story, directed by Breno Silveira and Andrucha Waddington, starring Fernanda Montenegro in the lead role.{{Cite web |last=Monteiro |first=Gilson |date=15 March 2025 |title=Conheça a história de Joana da Paz, a alagoana que denunciou o tráfico no Rio de Janeiro e inspirou filme com Fernanda Montenegro |url=https://www.tnh1.com.br/noticia/nid/vivida-no-cinema-por-fernanda-montenegro-conheca-a-historia-de-dona-joana-da-paz-a-alagoana-que-denunciou-o-trafico-no-rio-de-janeiro/ |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=TNH1 |language=pt-br}}{{Cite web |title=Quem é Joana da Paz, interpretada por Fernanda Montenegro em 'Vitória'? |url=https://exame.com/pop/quem-e-joana-zeferino-da-paz-interpretada-por-fernanda-montenegro-em-vitoria/ |access-date=5 April 2025 |website=Exame |language=pt-br}}
The book Dona Vitória Joana da Paz, written by journalist Fábio Gusmão, was published in 2016 and reissued in 2024, offering a detailed view of her life and legacy.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:da Paz, Joana}}
Category:Activists from Rio de Janeiro (city)
Category:Brazilian women activists
Category:Crime in Rio de Janeiro (state)