The main aim of this work is to examine the female narrative of the experience lived in Colonia Dignidad, to highlight the particular challenges that women faced because of their gender, and ultimately to broaden our understanding of the experiences of victimisation, contradictions and role conflicts that these women had in this context. Through the analysis of interviews collected in various archives and the examination of written sources, a comprehensive picture of women’s lives in Colonia Dignidad is drawn. This work highlights several key themes, including the specific challenges women faced in an environment that systematically disregarded and devalued them. These challenges include issues related to identity development, particularly female identity, as well as the physical obstacles women had to overcome, including the development of their sexuality. In addition, the work highlights the presence of violence that affected women and places special emphasis on the sexualised violence suffered by boys, girls and women within Colonia Dignidad, including at the hands of Paul Schäfer himself.
