Three trans women have been found dead in Brazil and another is fighting for her life

On Sunday 17 January Nathallya Figueiredo, 25, who had recently arrived in Brazil from France, was found in her car with multiple stab wounds. She died en route to the hospital.

In a separate incident, Avenida Atlântica was stabbed in the chest and arm and taken to the Santa Luiza Hospital where she remains in serious condition. Police are investigating whether the two cases are linked.

A third trans woman Marcia Cabrita, 38, was was found dead by a friend at her home, but it is unclear how she died. Cabrita ran a local samba school and was well-known in the region.

The body of a fourth trans woman was found dead on Sunday morning under the Francisco Inácio Nascimento street bridge near the river Forquilhas in Sao Jose. She has not been identified.

Brazil is known for its huge numbers of transphobic incidents. According to reports, 271 trans people were murdered in 29 countries last year, with the vast majority of murders taking place in Brazil and Mexico.

In total 1,933 trans people have been reported murdered since 2008.