The Peruvian National Police has begun recruiting women for traffic patrol positions in an effort to fight corruption on the streets. The program, lauded by Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, is based on research that found that on personality tests, women were found to be stricter and more disciplined.
As a result of the program, 90 percent of traffic police in Lima are women, whereas two years ago, women constituted only 10 percent of traffic cops.
Despite these gains, Peruvian feminists are critical because the recruiting of women is on the rank-and-file level. “They have no possibility of promotion and work in perilous conditions,” said Macassi Leon, executive director of Flora Tristan, a Peruvian women’s rights group.
Nationally, women constitute only 8 percent of the national police force.
