Reports of Colombian police committing sexual violence against women at the national strike mobilizations

Image from Red de Derechos Humanos Francisco Isaias Cifuentes.

There are numerous reports of sexual violence being committed by the police against women participating in the national strike in Colombia.

Caracol Radio reports: “The Ombudsman’s Office of Colombia reported on Friday [May 14] that it has received 87 reports of violence against women and people with different sexual orientation and gender identity, in events that occurred in 17 days of protests against the government of Colombian President Iván Duque.”

The article notes that includes: “2 cases of sexual violence were reported, 14 of them about inappropriate touching of a sexual nature, 18 cases of slap, pinching and pulling of hair, 5 cases of physical torture and 4 cases of psychological torture.”

Caracol Radio further reports: “The NGO Temblores, which closely tracks police abuses since 28 April in protests across the country, has reported 39 homicides and 2,110 acts of violence, 16 cases of sexual violence and 3 gender.”

Then on Saturday May 15, The Human Rights Network of the Southwest of Colombia ‘Francisco Isaías Cifuentes’ (Reddhfic), reported that in addition to the cases document by Temblores there are 14 more cases of sexual assault against women by the public force in the Southwest region of the country.

Telesur reports: “In the document, Reddhfic asserts that from April 28 to May 14, the Southwest region registers 11 cases of sexual assault against women in the department of Valle del Cauca and 3 more in the city of Popayán (department del Cauca), so the figure of 12 from the NGO Temblores, increases to 26 cases nationwide.”

That article by Telesur further reports: “The document reveals that feminist organizations have denounced members of the Police who intimidate women who participate in the marches with actions such as sexual touching, abusive sexual acts, insults, violent carnal access, cruel and degrading treatment.”

The Human Rights Network Reddhfic says: “Women and feminized bodies suffer multiple other human rights violations due to gender identity and their sexual practices that, however, are hardly recorded. This happens precisely because another aspect of this police violence expressed in macho practices and imaginary, denies and specifically violates the existence of people with diverse sexualities and genders.”

And just three days ago, on Thursday May 13, the feminist collective Casa de la mujer drew attention to the situation where a young woman was sexually assaulted by the ESMAD riot police after recording a national strike protest in Popayán.

The Colombian weekly magazine Semana reports: “The complaints also indicate that the woman took her own life after leaving the URI [Immediate Reaction Unit/police station], where she was allegedly a victim of sexual abuse.”

The Casa de la mujer says: “We regret the death of Alison Meléndez, who was arrested last night and taken to the URI [police station], who after suffering sexual violence by police officers today appears dead due to suicide. We alert human rights organizations and institutions that guarantee rights, such as the Ombudsman’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office, and the Ombudsman to carry out oversight and take protective actions against what happened. The lives of women are respected.”

The statement by Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister about the violence in Colombia does not mention the sexual violence being committed by state security forces, nor does Global Affairs Canada travel advisory for Canadians in Colombia.

The Canadian Labour Congress, representing more than 3 million workers in Canada, says: “Canadian unions condemn this violence and support the legitimate demands of the Colombian people for … the dismantling of the Colombian national police riot control unit (known by its Spanish acronym ESMAD).”