Gender-Based Violence After Armed Conflict: The Case of the Colombian Peace Agreement

This study investigates how the demobilization of combatants shapes gender-based violence in the aftermath of Colombia’s 2016 peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Using a difference-in-differences design with data on sexual and domestic violence reports, the study finds that rates of sexual violence did not decline significantly overall, and municipalities with a history of FARC presence continued to report persistently higher levels of sexual assault both before and after demobilization. In contrast, domestic violence declined notably in areas formerly under armed group control, suggesting that the easing of war time stress contributed to improved household dynamics. The persistence of dissident groups, however, is associated with elevated risks of gender-based violence more broadly. Taken together, these results underscore the uneven impacts of peace processes on different forms of gender-based violence and the continuing challenges of securing safety in post-conflict settings.