At least 35,178 people have suffered sexual, gender, and reproductive violence in Colombia's armed conflict, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) tribunal said on Wednesday as it opened an investigation.
Women, girls, and people with diverse sexual orientations, identities, and expressions of gender were the most affected, the JEP said.
Provisional analysis found right-wing paramilitary groups committed some 33 percent of such crimes, followed by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and members of the security forces, the JEP said. In 30 percent of cases, the group which the perpetrator belonged to was not identified.
Almost 90 percent of the victims between 1957 and 2016 were women, while 35 percent were children or adolescents when the crimes happened, the tribunal said.
It will investigate gender-based violence against civilians committed by FARC members and security personnel, including from the army and police. It will also investigate gender-based violence which took place within the ranks of each group.
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