Gender, race, and sexuality in the context of the armed conflict in Colombia

Abstract

Thinking about gender and sexuality in relation to race has made it possible to render visible the multiple forms of oppression experienced by Afro-descendant women in contexts of violence. This article examines the intersections between gender, race, and sexuality in the Colombian armed conflict through an analysis of the experiences of Afro-descendant women who were victimized. To this end, the study employs a phenomenological approach based on testimonies included in the report of Colombia’s Truth Commission (2022). The findings show that sexual violence was not experienced in a homogeneous manner by all women and that, in the case of Afro-descendant women, it took on specific forms of racialization. In this sense, the article underscores the need to analyze gender, sexuality, and race in an integrated manner in order to better understand the inequalities and forms of discrimination that shape women’s experiences in contexts of armed violence.