TEPT en sobrevivientes de violencia o abuso sexual en el conflicto armado colombiano

Abstract

Political, social and sexual violence associated with the Colombian armed conflict frequently affects the civilian population, causing severe trauma, polyvictimization, emotional disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  Sexual violence has gained the attention of the scientific community due to the physical and psychological sequelae experienced by the victims. This study analyzes levels of PTSD in 111 survivors of rape, abuse or sexual aggression during the Colombian armed conflict, through quantitative research of descriptive scope and the EGEP-5 instrument. It was observed that the majority of the sample is mostly female, they reported an average of five additional traumatic events, with physical violence, sexual harassment and accidental or violent death being the most common. PTSD symptoms were mild to moderate across the sample, along with a high prevalence of PTSD with the presence of dissociative symptoms. These findings underscore the need for preventive measures and effective approaches to sexual violence in the context of the Colombian armed conflict, highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to care for victims and mitigate the negative impacts on their mental well-being.