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By Vero Ferrari 

Ghia Aixa Peña Acaro, a young trans woman, was attacked by a man who tried to set her on fire after beating her and pouring gasoline on her. The attack occurred on Friday, March 15, in Piura, a city in northern Peru, while she was on the street where she works as a sex worker. The assailant, identified as Segundo Mauro Luna García, took advantage of a moment when the young woman was alone to attack her. Realizing that he intended to set her ablaze, Ghia pushed him away and ran to hide behind a Serenazgo (municipal security) patrol, who arrested Luna García. Both were taken to the Piura police station.

[READ ALSO: New complaint of LGBTphobia at the Jorge Chávez airport in Peru]

According to Ghia's account to Presentes , at the police station, an officer named Calderón mocked her, was arrogant, insulted her, and refused to take her complaint. Another sex worker had to intervene to get them to accept it.

“The police officer said my complaint wouldn't go anywhere because there was no physical aggression from this man. I told him, 'Are you going to wait until the man kills me or burns me alive before you finally listen to me and proceed with the complaint?' 'Unfortunately, that's how the laws are,' he said, 'what do you want me to do?' Since the intervention was carried out by a neighborhood watch member and not a police officer, it's not valid. Then he said it was done, but it was all for nothing, because he was going to let the man go, that he couldn't detain him for more than 24 hours, 'just go home, the only thing left for you to do is march to the Ministry,' he told me. That's all.”

"These cases come to nothing."

Tonika Izamar Anton, coordinator of the Piura Trans Network, stated that they also went to the Prosecutor's Office, since the police initially refused to file a report. They were told that because a report had already been filed, they had to wait for it to be transferred to the Prosecutor's Office.

She also pointed out that the aggressor was released despite having a criminal record, including two prison sentences and an attempted femicide against his partner. This puts Ghia's life in danger; she is deeply traumatized and refuses to leave her home.

[READ ALSO: 2018: The trans population, the main victims of violence in Peru]

“We are not only outraged, but disappointed in the police and the entire apparatus that is supposed to provide us with security and justice, because it cannot be possible that in a case where there is evidence, witnesses and attempted femicide, they can let the aggressor go free,” Tonika told Presentes .

“In Piura, there have been several cases, but nothing comes of them. There should already be a separate, differentiated database of these cases. They use 'men' instead of 'trans women,' and that makes the information and the need for differentiated protection and mechanisms to guarantee our lives invisible. The Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations must also provide psychological therapy for trans women, because Ghia is traumatized; she doesn't want to go out, she doesn't want to eat. That's what they do for women when they're attacked, but not for us, trans women.”

A press that justifies violence

The Piura Trans Network condemned the way some Piura media outlets, such as the newspaper La Hora , have covered the case, distorting the facts and assuming a romantic relationship existed between the aggressor and the young woman. The circulating news claims the attack stemmed from jealousy due to infidelity, attempting to justify the way Ghia was assaulted. She denies any relationship with the man and even knowing him, and maintains that she did try to file a police report, despite the mistreatment she suffered at the hands of the police.

A State that doesn't reach

Although there are resources available to provide legal assistance to people who report violence, access for trans women is complex and difficult. Many are unaware of these services, starting with the Women's Emergency Centers, which have guidelines for addressing diversity, and including the Ministry of Justice, which provides legal defense.

There is also community-based psychological support provided by the Ministry of Health, or assistance from the Ombudsman's Office, to ensure that police abuse is investigated and punished. However, if these services are not known or publicized among the most disadvantaged populations, they can do little to avoid being revictimized.