Eliana Marcela Sanandres Campis

Universidad del Norte, Colombia

Title: “The Black Woman Resists” Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Against Afro-Colombian Women in Colombia

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Biography

Eliana Sanandres Campis holds a PhD in Social Sciences, a Master’s degree in Social Development, and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations with a minor in Political Science from Universidad del Norte (Colombia).  She is currently Director and Professor of the Department of History and Social Sciences at Universidad del Norte, Co-editor of the journal Memorias, and a member of the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) and the Women in Network Science (WiNS) network. Her research has centered on personal networks analysis in conflict settings, with a strong focus on reconciliation, peacebuilding, and social equity. In the past two years, she has focused on the study of gender-based violence and is currently leading #ViveTuRed, a research-creation project that examines manifestations of gender-based violence in Higher Education Institutions to develop prevention tools grounded in personal network analysis. 

Abstract

While perspectives on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) have changed in recent years, questions remain about how to understand and represent this issue. In this study we explore the intersection of sex, gender, and race in the experiences of CRSV endured by Afro-Colombian women within the context of the armed conflict in Colombia. Drawing on testimonies collected by the Colombian Truth Commission, we examine how these narratives expose the structural entanglement of sexism and racism.  Our analysis identifies three categories: ambivalence between desire and contempt, sexual object identity, and enslavement. These findings emphasize the unique vulnerability of Afro-Colombian women in armed conflict contexts and underscore the importance of their voices within peacebuilding frameworks .