Arlette Contreras

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Contreras and the second or maternal family name is Bautista.
Arlette Contreras
Member of Congress
In office
16 March 2020 – 26 July 2021
ConstituencyLima
Personal details
Born (1990-06-26) 26 June 1990 (age 34)
Ayacucho, Peru
Nationality Peruvian
Political partyIndependent (2019-present)
Alma materUniversidad Alas Peruanas (LL.B.)
Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (M.A.)
OccupationLawyer
Known forBeing an advocate for women's rights

Cindy Arlette Contreras Bautista (born June 26, 1990)[1] is a Peruvian lawyer and social activist. She is an International Women of Courage Award recipient,[2] and was also included in the Time 100 list of the most influential people.[3]

Assault incident

Contreras came to notice after she was assaulted at a hotel in Ayacucho by her then boyfriend, Adriano Pozo Arias, on 15 July 2015. Security cameras recorded her being battered and dragged screaming by her hair.[4] The attack left her with damage to one of her legs, necessitating the use of a cane.[5] Contreras went public with her demand for justice and pressed her case in the media.

The evidence against her assailant was sufficient for a conviction but a three judge panel decided that he should be given a suspended sentence in July 2016.[3][6] The violence toward her and the treatment afterward became a rallying point for the nationwide NiUnaMenos movement. The march in Lima was said to be the largest demonstration ever in Peru.[7] In November 2016, the Appeals Tribunal of the Ayacucho Superior Court threw out the conviction and ordered a new trial on charges of attempted rape and attempted femicide.[8] On 8 July 2019, he was convicted to 11 years in prison for attempted femicide, but cleared of attempted rape.[9]

Recognition

In 2017 Contreras' advocacy was recognised by the US State department who chose her with twelve others to receive an International Women of Courage Award each in Washington. She was also chosen as an "Icon" by Time magazine for their list of the 100 most influential people[3] and listed as part of the 2018 BBC's 100 Women.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b "BBC 100 Women 2018: Who is on the list?". BBC News. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  2. ^ "Biographies of the Finalists for the 2017 International Women of Courage Awards". www.state.gov. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  3. ^ a b c "Cindy Arlette Contreras Bautista: The World's 100 Most Influential People". Time. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  4. ^ "Minuto a minuto de la agresión de Adriano Pozo a Cindy Contreras". Frecuencia Latina. 19 July 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  5. ^ Beatríz Pascual Macías (29 March 2017). "Arlette Contreras, la mujer que venció al dolor y lucha contra los femicidios". El País. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  6. ^ "Corte Superior de Justicia de Ayacucho, Juzgado Penal Colegiado de Huamanga. Expediente 01641-2015-0501-JR-PE-01. Sentencia" (in Spanish). 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  7. ^ "El Perú de pie contra la violencia de género". Diario UNO (in Spanish). 14 August 2016. Archived from the original on 21 October 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  8. ^ "Caso Arlette Contreras: declaran nula sentencia contra Adriano Pozo, Con la finalidad de que se inicie un nuevo proceso que incluya los delitos de violación e intento de feminicidio". Exitosa. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Caso Arlette Contreras: sentencian a 11 años de prisión a Adriano Pozo". El Comercio (Peru). 8 July 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.