Considering the Continuums Lens and its Potential to Capture the Wider Picture of Women's Experiences of Violence During and after Armed Conflict

Abstract

This is a short working paper that explores the ‘continuums of violence lens’ and its potential utility in examining women’s experiences of conflict to post-conflict violence. The advantages which this lens presents is first discussed followed by a brief overview of its drawbacks. The piece highlights that women’s experience of violence is often multiple and multifarious and yet the diversity of this violence and of women’s experiences is seldom captured. The relevance of ‘context’ to the form and functions of violence is drawn into the ‘continuums’ discussion proposing that a wider context based approach to continuums of violence may represent a broader framework and help to open up space to capture the sources and sites of violence across a wider range of contexts.

Keywords: Conflict, gender, violence