Rape prosecutions are among the most difficult cases to win in Peru, even when the alleged rape is committed by common criminals, not members of the security forces. General attitudes, social relations and their reflections in the law often work to stigmatize the victim, not her attacker, and reduce the likelihood of a fair trial. Moreover, inadequate medical facilities, cumbersome and sometimes negligent police procedures, and popular mistrust of the judicial system further complicate women's search for justice.
The above factors frequently inhibit women from reporting rape. In 1992 Peruvian legal experts and police estimated that reported cases represent less than 10 percent of the rapes that actually occur. Once rape was reported, there is no guarantee that such abuse would be prosecuted or the accused rapist punished. Of the 1,180 formal charges of rape filed with the Peruvian police in 1988, only 257, or about 14 percent, resulted in convictions.
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