On the whole,
the situations you'll encounter are more
annoying than dangerous, with frequent comments
such as que guapa ("how pretty"), intrusive and
prolonged stares, plus whistling and hissing in
the cities . Worse still are the occasional rude
comments and groping, particularly in crowded
situations such as on buses or trains. Blonde
and fair-skinned women are likely to suffer much
more of this behaviour than darker, Latin-looking
women. Mostly these are situations you'd deal
with routinely at home - as Limeña women do here
in the capital - but they can, understandably
and rightly, seem threatening without a clear
understanding of Peruvian Spanish and slang. To
avoid getting caught up in something you can't
control, any provocation is best ignored. In a
public situation, however, any real harassment
is often best dealt with by loudly drawing
attention to the miscreant. Bear in mind that
sexual assault in Peru is a rare thing; it is
mostly just a matter of macho bravado, and
rarely anything more serious.
In the predominantly Indian, remote areas there
is less of an overt problem, though this is
surprisingly where physical assaults are more
likely to take place. They are not common,
however - you're probably safer hiking in the
Andes than walking at night in most British or
North American inner-cities. Two obvious, but
enduring, pieces of advice are to travel with
friends (being on your own makes you most
vulnerable), and if you're camping, to be quite
open about it. As ever, making yourself known to
locals gives a kind of acceptance and insurance,
and it may even lead to the offer of a room -
Peruvians, particularly those in rural areas,
can be incredibly kind and hospitable. It's also
sensible to check with the South American
Explorers' Club, particularly in Cusco, for
information on the latest trouble spots.
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