Peruvian Congress bans miniskirts in response to rape and prostitution scandals

Peru’s Congress, the institution in which citizens have the least confidence after the government itself, has banned its female employees from wearing miniskirts and shorts during the summer. Those who refuse to comply will face a sanction. This is the implausible response of parliament to attempt to cover up rape scandals and an alleged prostitution network operating in the heart of Peruvian political power. The initiative, which includes a prohibition on wearing jeans, among other items of clothing, has been met with fierce criticism from political and media sectors for perpetuating one of the worst clichés of sexism: blaming women for sexual aggression because of their choice of clothing.

The case came to light in December following the murder of a former advisor to the Legal and Constitutional Office, who was shot dead by hitmen a few blocks from her home. A journalistic investigation revealed that the victim, Andrea Vidal, a 28-year-old lawyer, actually performed other functions. According to the investigation, she recruited women engaged in prostitution to coordinate sexual encounters with high-ranking officials in Congress. A month after her murder — which also ended the life of a taxi driver — various episodes have taken place that call into question whether there is a genuine desire to investigate the events.

The members of the ad hoc commission in charge of reviewing the case resigned, claiming that the investigation could not focus on a single report. There was an attempt to censor the president of the Oversight Commission, Juan Burgos, for implying that the network offered “sex in exchange for votes” in parliament. And it has not yet been possible to determine who authorized the appointment of Jorge Torres Saravia — who was allegedly behind the prostitution ring — to head the Legal and Constitutional Office.

Last week, another journalistic investigation, this time by the EpicentroTV website, shook the Legislative Branch, which ended 2024 with a mere 8% approval rating. A 31-year-old woman reported having been raped by a congressman and member of the Permanent Commission, José Jerí of the Somos Perú Christian Democratic political party, at his country home. The victim was drinking liquor with Jerí and a hardware businessman by the pool. But despite the fact that she stopped drinking, at some point she lost consciousness. She later woke up in a bed, suffering from pain in her private parts.

The congressman has denied the allegations and suggested that it was all a misunderstanding. “On a subjective level, she could have understood my behavior and kindness as something else [...]. The victim will be able to find her truth, that will allow her to have the peace of mind she is looking for; and that peace of mind will also give me back my image and my name,” said Jerí.

“The issue is not how women dress”

For various political actors, the change in the dress code makes no sense and highlights the old spirit of male chauvinism. “It is a ban that existed in the 1950s. The issue is not how women dress, the issue is how we, among all of us, respect each other. They can dress as they wish, while observing the dress code of each institution,” stressed Susel Paredes, a legislator from the Popular Democratic Bloc.

The journalist Clara Elvira Ospina, director of EpicentroTV, made an ironic observation about the moral character of Congress by bringing up another incident: in 2022 an employee of Congressman Freddy Díaz Monago reported having been abused by him in his own office. “A Congress employee was raped by her boss, the congressman, inside a parliamentary office. A prostitution ring is uncovered in Congress. A lawmaker is accused of rape in a recreational house. Congress’ solution: ban miniskirts.”

Congressman Edwin Martínez accused the woman who reported being raped by Jerí of not knowing how to behave. “The two men should have controlled the girl so that she would not drink so much, which can lead to these types of situation taking place. And the young lady should also have controlled herself a little, because when drunk they lose their equanimity and start to highlight those ugly aspects that people can sometimes have.”

Martínez has been criticized in recent weeks for hiring Isabel Cajo, one of the people involved in the prostitution network allegedly run by Saravia. Cajo, 26, has obtained positions in different areas of parliament with high salaries considering her academic profile, having not completed her higher education. Cajo previously sold explicit sexual photos on the OnlyFans website and was sought after on Glambu, a dating app used by wealthy men.

In its latest edition, the weekly Hildebrandt en sus trece revealed, through chats, that Cajo had a meeting in April 2024 with the then-president of Congress, Alejandro Soto. She did so using a different identity and entered through a false door that led to his office. Three days later she was hired by Congress, with the authorization of the Presidency of the Chamber. Recently, Cajo reported that her cellphone had been stolen while she was walking her dog in the Magdalena district of Lima, a fact that places at risk essential evidence to obtain clarity in the case. Almost immediately, the municipality published the security camera footage of the streets where Cajo was supposedly robbed and no abnormality was observed.

The cherry on top of this parliamentary crisis of legitimacy are seven congressmen accused of having used public funds to stage a party in the city of Trujillo. The Prosecutor’s Office has charged them with willful embezzlement.

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