Análisis de la inseguridad delictiva percibida por mujeres comerciantes en Puerto Inca desde un enfoque de Género en el periodo 2023- 2025

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to analyze the influence of gender on the experiences of insecurity among female merchants in the Puerto Inca area during the period 2023-2025, from a gender and intersectional feminist perspective. It explores the dynamics of gender-based violence and the resilience strategies developed by female merchants in a context characterized by territorial vulnerability, institutional precariousness, and increasing criminal risks. The objective is to understand how gender affects experiences of insecurity and their consequences in daily life, emotions, and work. The study has a qualitative approach, with a descriptive-explanatory scope and a phenomenological-hermeneutic design, which will allow us to understand the experiences lived and the meanings assigned by the participants from their socio-territorial context. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with six women merchants who were selected through intentional non-probabilistic sampling. The main results showed that gender has a direct impact on the experience of insecurity, increasing the vulnerability of women, especially those with economic autonomy and caregiving roles. On the other hand, mistrust of public security institutions and weak community networks have been a boon for extortionists and, therefore, have led to an increase in crime, generating economic, psychological, and family problems. Given this, we conclude that it is important and necessary to strengthen citizen security policies with a gender, feminist, and intersectional approach.