Contours of gender-based violence in the global south: towards a more inclusive approach

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a global crisis with widespread consequences, impacting women across cultures,
socioeconomic levels, and life stages. Despite the proliferation of GBV research and significant contributions from various disciplines, there is a disproportionate focus on the experiences of women from the Global North in shaping
theories and knowledge, neglecting high rates of violence
in the Global South, where women face both structural
marginalization and ontological discrimination.
In response to the growing demand for research that considers diverse contexts, this paper moves beyond traditional agendas to seek innovative approaches to address and resist GBV. It provides reflections from two researchers engaged in autoethnographic projects. One project involves
an author embarking on a fundraising pilgrimage to raise
awareness for GBV, exploring transformative interactions
with fellow pilgrims and local communities. In the other,
the author delves into the ancestral experiences and perspectives of Afro-Amerindian women, revealing unique dimensions of their struggles and how they circumvent coloniality to resist contemporary subordination and silencing.

Embracing a transdisciplinary lens and departing from detached epistemic stances, the project advocates for new
ways of understanding and transforming the world based
on interdependence and relationality. This collaborative
approach contributes to a more inclusive understanding of
GBV within the context of contemporary mobilizations in
Latin America, where intricate connections between violence, power, gender, race, and other intersections unfold.
The paper also extends theoretical discourse, offering practical insights into how individuals and groups can collaborate across disciplines and institutions to broaden possibilities and create the conditions to effectively combat GBV globally.