Rojas, V.  (2019). “Cualquier cosa nos puede pasar”. Dos estudios de caso sobre experiencias de violencia contra niñas durante el cursos de sus vidas (Documento de Investigación, 97). Lima: GRADE; Niños del Milenio.

This paper addresses the experiences of violence that marked the childhood and adolescence of two Peruvian girls, one from the urban and the other from the rural. To do so, it is based on qualitative information from the longitudinal study Young Lives Peru for 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2014, and additional information for 2018. Within a socio-ecological approach, in both case studies violence is analyzed not only with relationship to individual characteristics -sex or age- but also as a result of a series of factors that interact in the family, educational and community spheres.

Among the findings, the presence of different types of violence along the life trajectories of these two girls stands out. Likewise, it is observed that this violence is exercised both by the main caregivers -parents and family members- and by other actors -teachers-, and justified as part of the exercise of upbringing and education. On the other hand, the study shows evidence of how violence is related to social norms of gender that reproduce and reinforce unequal relationships between men and women.

Finally, the paper points out that, although in recent years the Peruvian State has tried to promote an education free of violence and that forms citizens, educational institutions still face many difficulties to achieve these objectives, for which some recommendations are made, mainly in educational policy.