Gender and sexuality in the Colombian armed conflict: from patriarchal oppression to feminist resistance

Abstract

This article explores the impact of the Colombian armed conflict on gender and sexuality, focusing on the resistance of women who were victims of sexual violence. The conflict, which lasted from 1954 to 2016, had nearly nine million victims. Most were victims of forced displacement. And it also led to various forms of violence, including sexual violence, with women and LGBT people being particularly vulnerable. This article highlights the centrality of gender and sexuality in the conflict and the impact of militarization on the gendered social landscape in Colombia. It examines how women who were victims of sexual violence became important social leaders, utilizing their experience to resist the war and transform cultural norms around gender and violence. Through collective action, these women challenged traditional gender roles and power dynamics. The article emphasizes the importance of recognizing and amplifying the voices of women who have experienced violence in conflict settings and highlights the Colombian armed conflict as a case study of the intersectionality of gender, violence, and resistance.