Colombia has high reported rates of rape and domestic violence generally, and national surveys have found even higher rates among communities experiencing displacement. For many women and girls, the hardships of displacement are compounded by the trauma of rape and domestic violence. Uprooted from their homes and impoverished, displaced women and girls who become victims of rape and domestic violence are often unfamiliar with health and justice institutions in their new locations. Daunting obstacles, including social stigma, severely impede survivors’ access to healthcare, justice, and protection services.
FORCED TO WITNESS
“I never reported my case to the authorities because I didn’t know if being forced to witness a rape was a crime. What I knew was that it changed my life and the lives of my sons, who also witnessed the rape. We haven’t been the same since.”
Luz is originally from a coffee producing region of Colombia. She is 36 years old and a mother to two sons, ages 12 and 9. With her husband and children, Luz eventually moved south to an area of Colombia known for coca cultivation and plagued with multiple armed groups and high homicide rates. After her husband unexpectedly passed, Luz decided to find a quieter place to raise her sons. Her search for safety and stability led her to trust in a man who belonged to an armed group. He invited Luz and her boys to live on a farm in the south-west region of the country bordering, Peru and Ecuador.
THE HISTORY BEHIND LUZ’S STORY
“I was out of options. Since I was a young girl, I’ve yearned for protection and safety. I thought I found that in this man. When I was nine, my mother abandoned my little sister and me. Soon after, a family in Switzerland adopted my sister, leaving me behind in foster care. When my mom first abandoned us, I thought it was for the best. She lived a turbulent life, suffering from drug addiction and engaging in unsafe sex work. But when they separated my sister and I, something inside me broke. It wasn’t until my two sons came along that the void began to fill. I think my rocky childhood and my husband’s sudden death made me an easy prey. I desperately wanted to feel loved and protected, and so I convinced myself that this man’s intention were genuine.”
“From the moment we arrived on the farm, we became objects of abuse and humiliation. His mother and other family members also lived on the farm. They forced my boys and me to work the land, and when we were tired, they beat us. Still, I was willing to endure the suffering so that my children could eat. But one night, I finally realized that if we wanted to live another day, we had to escape.”
“That night, they took us to an area of the farm where a young girl, probably underage, was. There, three men took turns raping her. I tried covering my sons’ eyes, but they didn’t let me. The three of us were forced to watch as they raped and tortured this poor girl in front of us. To this day, my boys remember her cries for help. Eventually, with the help of my sons’ half-sister, we managed to flee and return home, despite the rampant violence there.”
Sexual and gender-based violence in conflict is not only a heinous and life-changing crime, it is also used as a tactic of war; to terrorize families, dehumanize communities, and destabilize societies. Today, sexual and gender-based violence in conflict is widely recognized as a war crime that is preventable and punishable. While there have been significant steps towards accountability, most cases are never reported, investigated, or prosecuted. Women and girls, especially those experiencing displacement, are the primary targets of sexual and gender-based violence.
EMOTIONAL IMPLICATIONS
Although Luz didn’t know if being forced to witness rape was a crime, she knew she had to seek help. If not for herself, for her children. The memory of that night vividly stayed with them and nightmares were a regular occurrence.
“I don’t feel safe. Because we are witnesses, I worry they will try to find us and hurt us again. That’s why I never told anyone about the farm or the rape. I was trying to protect my family. I was trying to protect my sons.”
THE RESPONSE
Immediate health services are critical for victims of rape and domestic violence, yet displaced women and girls describe delays, denial of care, and mistreatment by health care providers. Victims also face serious obstacles when seeking justice, including mistreatment by authorities and evidentiary challenges. In April of this year, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2467, which calls on the global community to implement concrete commitments to prevent, report, and respond to sexual violence in conflict.
Heartland Alliance International’s MAS Colombia project works to improve access to healthcare and other social services. We believe unequivocally that protecting and empowering survivors is key to making lasting change.
“Because of my husband’s death, I had to visit the Victim’s Assistance Center one day. While I was there, I saw Heartland Alliance International’s office and immediately walked over. When the staff told me they offer free mental health services, I felt excitement and relief. The Heartland team opened their doors and arms to us and we started sessions that same day.”
“Before then, my sons and I had not talked to anyone about the farm. We feared for our safety and worried people would judge us. Worse, maybe they wouldn’t believe our story. Gradually, my children began to open up and express their emotions. We all see a path forward now.”
“Through therapy, we learned to understand and manage the anger and sadness that comes with what we witnessed and survived. Together as a family, we are learning how to resolve conflict and work through emotions using healthy dialogue. Today, my sons and I have the tools to confront the realities of the context we live in.”
Photos by: Héctor Andrés Pinchao
This project is possible thanks to the generous support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM)
