'There's no-one you can trust to talk to here' : churches and internally displaced survivors of sexual violence in Medellín, Colombia
Date
2019-12-17
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AOSIS
Abstract
After over 50 years of warfare, Colombia has the largest internally displaced population in the
world. Internally displaced women appear to be particularly at risk of sexual violence.
Religious belief and affiliation can potentially impact the coping of internally displaced and
sexual violence survivors in a country where 79% of the population self-identifies as Catholic
and 13% as Protestant. This article explores the complex intersect of religion, internal
displacement and sexual violence by drawing on interview and focus group data collected
from sexual violence survivors and faith leaders in a community of internally displaced
survivors in Medellín, Colombia. The qualitative empirical data are used to unpack
displaced survivors’ experiences and needs, and reflect on churches’ response to internally
displaced and sexual violence survivors more broadly. We see that by offering a spiritual
response to a traumatic event and its consequences, as well as a sense of community and
belonging, churches can contribute to the coping ability and healing process of displaced
survivors. A theological approach to sexual violence can ensure that sexual violence prevention
and response is seen as part of churches’ core mandate and mainstreamed in their activities,
and by leveraging their ability to influence community and individual beliefs and behaviours,
churches can counter the inter-generational cycle of intra-familial violence that so often
emerges in the settings of internally displaced persons.
Description
CITATION: Le Roux, E. & Valencia, L. C. 2019. 'There's no-one you can trust to talk to here' : churches and internally displaced survivors of sexual violence in Medellín, Colombia. HTS Theological Studies, 75(4):1-10, doi:10.4102/hts.v75i4.5491.
The original publication is available at https://hts.org.za
The original publication is available at https://hts.org.za
Keywords
Sex crimes, Sexual abuse victims
Citation
Le Roux, E. & Valencia, L. C. 2019. 'There's no-one you can trust to talk to here' : churches and internally displaced survivors of sexual violence in Medellín, Colombia. HTS Theological Studies, 75(4):1-10, doi:10.4102/hts.v75i4.5491.