Miss Peru Contestants Used Their Platform To Protest Violence Against Women

Beauty pageant contestants in Peru flipped the tables this year to speak out against violence against women.

Instead of offering up their measurements to the judges, the contestants instead offered up just some of the harrowing statistics about femicide in their country.

Romina Lozano, who was crowned Miss Peru 2018, said, “I represent the constitutional province of Callao and my measurements are: 3,112 women victims of trafficking up until 2014.”

Another contestant, Camila Canicoba, said, “I represent the department of Lima. My measurements are: 2,202 cases of femicide reported in the last nine years in my country.”

Every single contestant spoke about a different statistic around violence against women, highlighting issues either specific to their city, provence, or Peru as a whole.

“My name is Melina Machuca, I represent the department of Cajamarca, and my measurements are: more than 80 percent of women in my city suffer from violence.”

Jessica Newton, the pageant’s organiser and former beauty queen, told BuzzFeed News that “everyone who does not denounce and everyone who does not do something to stop this is an accomplice.”

She also defended the pageant’s swimsuit section – often thought of as the most demeaning of all the contests – as an example proving that all women, no matter what they’re wearing, should be treated with respect.

“Women can walk out naked if they want to,” she said. “Naked. It’s a personal decision. If I walk out in a bathing suit I am just as decent as a woman who walks out in an evening dress.”

“Almendra Marroquín here. I represent Cañete, and my measurements are: more than 25 percent of girls and teenagers are abused in their schools.”

Across Latin America, a movement called #NiUnaMenos (#NotOneLess) has been challenging misogyny and violence against women. Seven of the ten countries with the highest rate of female murder victims are from the region, where activists say a mix of “aggressive hyper-masculinity” and high rates of violence, social conflict and organised crime all work to create a highly dangerous environment for women.

 

 

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