Forced disappearance of sentimental partners: Meaning of the reparation process in two women Desaparición forzada de compañeros sentimentales: Significado del proceso de reparación en dos mujeres

Abstract

Forced disappearance is a crime that transcends time, which violates the rights of many families in Colombia and affects many populations (including women who suffer for the loss of their sentimental couples). The objective of this research is to understand what the meaning of the reparation process is for women who are victims of the forced disappearance of their couples. The participants were two (2) women victims of this crime who live in Bogota and Valledupar. Data collection was carried out based on the biographical-narrative research, parting from the story of these women, specifically the pre-established categories and identifying emerging categories in their discourse. Among the consequences brought by the disappearance of their couples highlights the damage upon their life projects, the sudden impact to these projects, and the destruction of the objectives that had been constructed from everyday life as a couple, due to the imposition of the armed actors of the conflict, which thus affects all areas of their lives. Additionally, the forced disappearance of their couples caused a change in the roles within their family as well as a breakdown of the social fabric. It is worth mentioning that these women show a lack of knowledge regarding their rights.