Peru: New Law Allows Life Imprisonment for Femicide Following Rape

On May 31, 2013 La Republica reported that the Peruvian Congress has approved a new law dealing with femicide. Among the provisions of the new law is life imprisonment if the victim is a minor and was raped, even if the perpetrator was not the spouse or partner of the victim. Other aggravating circumstances which may contribute to punishment of no less than 25 years imprisonment include whether the victim was pregnant or disabled, a trafficking victim, or if she was under the guardianship or care of the aggressor.

The new law also contains language on “non-intimate” attacks or ones carried out against women simply for being female, and where no kinship or relationship with the aggressor was present. This language was not stipulated in the law previously in effect. Read Article