Healing for Sexual Violence Survivors in Colombia

For decades, Colombia's armed conflict has pitted government and right-wing paramilitary groups against anti-government guerrillas. Armed groups have especially targeted girls and young women, turning their bodies into battlefields. For the dream of peace to be realized, those who were raped in the war will need healing, justice and an end to the stigma that mars their lives.

That’s why we partner with Taller de Vida, one of the few organizations working with rape survivors in war-affected communities. With your support, we assist local advocacy efforts to ensure that survivors have access to their human rights, like shelter. We also provide counseling, peer support and art therapy to enable girls to overcome their experiences of war and trauma. Through music, dance, theater classes and more, they break through silence and stigma. Young survivors come to know that they are not alone, and they gain the confidence to speak out against the abuses they’ve experienced.

The photos you see here are from a dance workshop that local girls participated in. Thank you for making art therapy workshops like this one possible!

This fall, our Colombian partner, Taller de Vida, led two trainings with 20 Indigenous and Afro-descendent young girls. The workshops explored opportunities for them to step up as leaders and to empower themselves and gave them a chance to discuss young people’s roles in their community. What’s more, the girls talked about how they would like to see themselves as decision-makers in their communities and in their own lives, and the obstacles -- like early marriage -- that impede them.

After the workshops, young girls reported that they feel more empowered to speak in public. These are critical conversations to have in any community, and especially valuable to help marginalized girls and their communities discuss taboo topics, like early marriage. With your support, Taller de Vida creates a unique space for girls to have their voices heard, raise their questions and dream about their futures.