Pope Leo XIV denounced violence against women during his visit to Peru, urging respect for their equal dignity as official figures showed a 44% increase in the annual number of femicide victims between 2016 and 2024. Speaking in Lima on Thursday, 12 November, the pontiff called for women and girls to be valued, protected and respected.
Pope Calls for Protection of Women
Addressing a gathering in the square outside Lima Cathedral, Leo criticised the persistence of machismo and attitudes that subordinate women. He said violence against women harmed humanity as a whole.
He highlighted the additional marginalisation faced by women living in poverty and those belonging to Indigenous and Afro-descendant communities. His appeal linked the protection of women to the Catholic Church's teaching that men and women possess equal dignity and responsibility.
The remarks formed part of his return to a country where he previously served for about two decades as a missionary priest and bishop. His earlier ministry in Chiclayo has remained a prominent part of his public connection to Peru since his election as pontiff in 2025.
Femicide Figures Show Rise
Peru recorded 1,261 femicide victims from 2016 to 2024, based on annual figures published by the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics. The annual total rose from 107 in 2016 to 154 in 2024, an increase of approximately 44%.
The institute's report, Peru: Femicide and Violence Against Women, 2015–2024, draws on administrative records from government ministries, prosecutors, courts, police, and other public bodies. It was published on 18 November 2025; the data were not new findings released during the papal visit.
Nicole Cruz, who attended the gathering in Lima's Plaza Mayor, welcomed the appeal and expressed hope that men would listen to women's concerns and prevent more women's deaths from happening in the future.
Commenters Applaud Pope Leo for Statement
Redditors applauded the recent statement of Pope Leo XIV against machismo and pushing for women to be protected in the country, with many seeing this as a common sense measure against the rising tide of femicide in the country.
Comment
by u/Pingaz99 from discussion
in worldnews
'Machismo culture might be one of the dumbest things existing...,' one commenter wrote, while another agreed with the sentence, adding, 'Its just male insecurity masquerading as culture.'
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by u/Pingaz99 from discussion
in worldnews
Other cautioned against the statement as they believe many governments use 'protecting women' as a way to repress them in society. 'Maybe it is not women who need protection,' the user wrote, 'but the men who need some boundaries set and consequences when they overstep the boundaries. Just leave us women alone.'
Church Abuse Survivors Meet Pontiff
Leo's visit also addressed abuse within the Catholic Church. He urged Peruvian bishops to respond to victims with truth, justice, reparation, and measures to prevent further abuse.
On 12 November, he met six survivors of abuse by members of the clergy and Church institutions at the Apostolic Nunciature in Lima. The meeting lasted just over an hour, the Vatican said. Some participants had previously belonged to groups linked to Sodalitium Christianae Vitae.
The Vatican announced the suppression of the Peru-based society in April 2025 following an investigation ordered by Pope Francis into allegations against its founder and other members. The suppression was an ecclesiastical measure, rather than a criminal conviction.
José Escardó, an early whistleblower, publicly criticised the Church's response to victims. He said Leo had not responded to letters from victims for more than a year.
The Vatican said Leo listened individually to the survivors and discussed seeking the truth, supporting healing, and creating safe environments for Catholics across the country. His appeals on violence against women and abuse within Church institutions were delivered separately during the visit.
