Sexual violence against children and adolescents in the region occurs mostly within the family environment and in circles of trust. This was reported by Narda Sofía Miranda Arista, spokesperson for the Warmi Ñan Program, who specified that seven out of ten cases of sexual violence are recorded at home, with aggressors who are usually people close to the victim.
According to the information provided by the program, during the In 2024, 1,466 complaints of violence were registered sexual activity against minors in Arequipa. Meanwhile, as far as the 2025, until November, 1,361 cases were reporteda figure that is not yet definitive, since the annual statistics are consolidated at the national level and are usually published weeks after the end of the year.
Miranda Arista explained that the aggressors usually belong to the family or close circle, such as parents, stepfathers, uncles, grandparents, neighbors or family friends, which makes reporting difficult. “This is violence that occurs in intimate spaces, where children should be safe, but often are not”he pointed out.
Likewise, he warned that children of 0 to 5 years old are among the most vulnerable groupsbecause they cannot identify or communicate situations of abuse, which makes it easier for these events to remain hidden for long periods. At older ages, the incidence is concentrated mainly in adolescents, with greater involvement in women, although cases are also recorded in men.
The spokesperson for the Warmi Ñan Program indicated that the increase in complaints observed in recent years does not necessarily respond to an increase in events, but rather to a more information and breaking the silencedriven by preventive campaigns, the role of teachers and the dissemination of children’s rights.
Finally, he urged fathers, mothers and caregivers to strengthen protective measures within the home and recalled that sexual violence not only includes rape, but also inappropriate touching, exhibitionism and any act that violates the physical and emotional integrity of children and adolescents.
