Hundreds of women took to the streets of Lima on Saturday to protest against the crimes being committed against women and girls in Peru. The demonstration, organized by the collective “Ni una menos,” (“not one more”) has been the fourth such national march so far this year.
The protesters demand justice for victims of gender violence and measures by the government to protect women and girls.
Peru has witnessed 105 cases of femicide so far this year, according to official figures. The term femicide describes the killing of a girl or woman simply because of her gender.
“We are very dismayed by the figure of 100,” Alejandra Ballon, the spokesperson of the collective Ni una menos, told the EFE news agency. “But including attempted femicides, the figure is about 250. In each case, there are parents, children, grandparents and a whole family that is affected and dismayed,” Ballon said.
“So we are talking about a gigantic problem and we are going to need years of struggle to achieve change,” he said.
Ballon noted that the problem of violence against women “is so profound that a national emergency must be declared” to tackle it.