Violence With Femicide Risk: Its Effects on Women and Their Children

The objective of this study is to assess the effects that a specific type of severe violence—violence with femicide risk (VFR)—has on women’s physical and mental health, as well as the physical health of their children. I focus on Peru, a country in which 7 out of 10 women have been victims of some form of intimate partner violence. In Latin America, Peru is one of the countries with the highest rates of violence against women. Methodological gaps in the existing literature (sampling size, selection bias, and reverse causality) are covered using an important nationally representative sample (Demographic and Health Survey: N = 84,136) and the use of propensity score matching. Results show that VFR increases symptoms of depression, as well as alcohol and tobacco consumption. The children of victims of VFR had significantly more recent episodes of bloody stool, diarrhea, fever, and coughing. These effects are heterogeneous. They vary based on violence characteristics (history of sexual violence) and on victims’ socioeconomic status. According to the relevant literature, these effects can be understood to stem from somatization, stress, substance use (as a facilitator of violence), and neurological damage due to exposure to this type of violence. Results suggest VFR may have life-course altering effects given victims’ distinct coping strategies

Do criminal justice reforms reduce crime and perceived risk of crime? A quasi-experimental approach in Peru

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of the new Code of Criminal Procedure (NCCP) on crime and perceived risk of crime in Peru. The progressive implementation of the NCCP allowed us to (1) use differences-in-differences (to control for the effect of time invariant characteristics) with matching estimator (to control for bias selection), and (2) to differentiate the impact based on whether the NCCP was earlier (2010) or later (2012) implemented. A large sample was used (N=445,838). The impact of NCCP was evaluated on aggregated and individual measures of crime and perceived risk of crime, including violent crime. Results show that the impact of the NCCP on crime was low and lost strength every year. Moreover, the impact is selective (it only affects some forms of crime) and differentiated (it reduces some forms of crime while increasing others). It also reduces the most common forms of crime committed with arms. On the other hand, the NCCP decreased most indicators of perceived risk of crime. Our findings point to the need to better manage the implementation of the NCCP as well as to highlight the deterioration of its impact mechanisms in time (particularly its celerity)

Why are property crimes reported to the police? An empirical assessment for Peru

Peru has not only one of the highest victimization rates in Latin America (24%), but also the lowest rate of reported crimes (15%) (Latinobarómetro, 2016) The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of the crimes and the characteristics of the individuals that predict the decision of reporting four different property crimes (burglary, auto theft, auto parts theft, and motorcycle theft). To this end, a seven-year survey of households at the national level in Peru was used (2010-2016). The estimations were made using multilevel mixed effects logistics regression, in order to control for characteristics of the environment that also influence the decision to report. Use of a weapon by the criminal is the factor that most increases the probability of reporting any of the four assessed crimes. Repeated victimization is also an important predictor, although for a lower number of crimes. Trust in the police is not associated to the decision to report. This is the first study to quantitatively analyze the factors that affect the decision to report in Peru. Its results are useful for a better understanding of the low reporting rates in the country

Does context matter? Examining robbery reporting in a high crime country

Most empirical studies that examine why individuals report property crimes to the police have focused on Global North countries where crime rates are low. This study is situated in the most violent area of the world, Latin America, and examines Peru, which has the highest robbery victimization rate in the Americas. This article examines the applicability of theories of crime reporting in this Global South context using a large sample and multilevel modeling. We find that trust in the police has no impact on the reporting of the robbery of one’s cellphone, purse or wallet. The theories of rational choice and Black’s stratification of law provide strong explanations for the reporting of robbery of these personal items. Individuals of higher social status and those who reside in districts with low levels of social disadvantage are more likely to report, as well as those who have experienced violent victimization

Costos sociales de la victimización en América Latina: Percepción de inseguridad, capital social y percepción de la democracia

América Latina es la región más afectada por la delincuencia en el mundo. Poco, sin embargo, se sabe sobre los costos sociales que esta genera. En este estudio, se emplearon seis rondas del Barómetro de las Américas (2004–2014) y el método de emparejamiento estadístico con el objetivo de estimar el costo de la victimización sobre la percepción de inseguridad, capital social y percepción de la democracia para 16 países de la región. Los resultados muestran que el costo de la victimización se expande a diversos aspectos sociales, afectando en mayor proporción a las mujeres. Además de incrementar la percepción de inseguridad y reducir la legitimidad y confianza en las instituciones encargadas de luchar contra la delincuencia, la desconfianza se desplaza a instituciones sin este rol, a terceros y afecta la propia percepción del barrio. En lo positivo, la victimización incentiva la participación en organizaciones, aunque especialmente en los grupos de menores ingresos y mayores recursos comunales

El dilema urbano en el Perú: crecimiento económico, violencia y desigualdad

Esta investigación estudió el efecto de las variables del dilema urbano sobre la violencia, además de otras teorías que se relacionan con esta (desorganización social, ecológica, capital social y teoría racional).Esta investigación estudió el efecto de las variables del dilema urbano sobre la violencia, además de otras teorías que se relacionan con esta (desorganización social, ecológica, capital social y teoría racional)

Empoderamiento y violencia

Siete de cada diez mujeres en el Perú han sido víctimas de violencia por parte de su pareja o compañero, según la Encuesta Demográfica y de Salud Familiar del INEI

Lo obvio, pero desatendido

En invierno hay que abrigarse. Cuando uno se enferma, debe cuidarse para no empeorar. Cuando uno desaprueba algún examen en el colegio o en la universidad, debe estudiar más para la siguiente ocasión. La lógica es clara: problema, medidas y cambio. Por más que esta secuencia sea evidente, algunos conocidos inconvenientes en materia de seguridad ciudadana siguen sin recibir soluciones efectivas. Uno de los más resaltantes es la corrupción de policías de tránsito, cuyas características son particulares: es pequeña, frecuente y altamente nociva para la imagen de la policía

Violencia con riesgo de feminicidio

"Cinco feminicidios en los primeros nueve días del año aturden y son un llamado urgente a reenfocar el problema"