Fiorella Alexandra Molina Lastarria

Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal, Peru

Title: Violence Against Women in Peru: Structural Causes and Social Consequences

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Biography

Ana Crisóstomo, Dayra Castañeda, Camila Ccohua, and Fiorella Molina are psychology students at the Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal (UNFV), Peru. Their academic interests include social psychology, gender studies, and human development. They have participated in academic projects focused on the prevention of gender-based violence and the promotion of women’s rights, with a strong commitment to building a more equitable society. Currently, they are conducting research on the structural and cultural causes of violence against women in Peru, with special attention to the role of machismo, stereotypes, and institutional failures in perpetuating this issue. Their work seeks to raise awareness of the severity and consequences of gender violence, while also promoting the need for systemic reforms, inclusive education, and effective justice mechanisms. Through this academic initiative, they hope to contribute to the public dialogue and encourage actions that protect women and promote gender equality at all levels of society.

Abstract

Violence against women is a daily and persistent problem in our society. It is understood as any act that causes physical, sexual, or psychological harm to women and, despite the passage of time and ongoing efforts, its incidence remains alarming. This essay will investigate the causes and consequences of this issue, proposing the hypothesis that the recent increase in cases of violence against women is linked to structural and cultural factors. Among these are the persistence of machismo, the normalization of violence within the family environment, the lack of education in gender equality, and the limited access to justice and effective protection services.

The essay also addresses social tolerance and victim-blaming, phenomena that contribute to the normalization of violence. Furthermore, it analyzes the lack of access to justice and the poor application of legal tools available in Peru, calling for more effective and coordinated measures.

Finally, it concludes that the consequences of this issue go beyond physical harm, affecting emotional health, family dynamics, and the country's development. Altogether, it reaffirms that violence against women is a structural and complex problem, sustained by deeply rooted cultural patterns.

Keywords

gender violence; machismo; stereotypes; gender policy; social impact; emotional trauma.