The subversive victim: victimhood and sexual and gender-based violence inside non-state armed groups in Colombia

Employing a critical discourse analysis approach, the thesis dissects the discourse surrounding SGBV victimhood in Colombia's transitional justice.<br><br>The thesis argues that the prevailing discourse of the "ideal victim" perpetuates power imbalances and discrimination rooted in socio-political and gender norms. Women fighters who have suffered SGBV are perceived as what this thesis calls "subversive victims". They are seen "subversive" not only for their military actions that challenge public order, but also for disrupting traditional gender and political norms associated with “ideal victimhood”.

These "subversive victims" are defined by their agency (whether armed, political, or individual) in resisting and transforming the narratives that perpetuate their victimisation and marginalisation. The thesis also highlights the diverse nature of SGBV victims and organisations representing women fighters. Some groups, like Corporación Rosa Blanca, adhere to traditional narratives of victimhood and womanhood, complicating the efforts of Colombia's transitional justice system to integrate these perspectives while promoting progressive and intersectional representations of victimhood advocated by historically marginalised groups.<br>