Gender-based violence in intercultural settings: From intersectional tensions to the invasion of the school environment

Abstract

In Colombia, gender-based violence has transcended the private sphere, establishing itself as a pressing public health and safety issue rooted in deep-seated structural causes that perpetuate social inequalities. Addressing this context, this article analyzes the pervasive nature of this social phenomenon within the Colombian nation and its school environments, which transforms educational institutions into sites of intense intersectional conflict. The findings reveal a growing trend in cases of sexual violence and the persistence of symbolic violence manifested through linguistic discrimination and the marginalization of indigenous worldviews. Methodologically, a hermeneutic-documentary approach was employed. The study concludes that, despite the country’s domestic regulations and legal framework, there remains a persistent lack of state protection and a dearth of approaches tailored to local contexts and their specific realities. Consequently, there is an urgent need to de-patriarchalize both education and justice systems to ensure genuine access to comprehensive reparations and the right to a life free from violence.