Yamiley fought back. Against her father, who beat her. The 18-year-old from Bolívar in Colombia mustered all her courage and reported him. She received support from "Antorchas," a Colombian partner organization of terre des hommes .

Yamileys has unpleasant memories of her statement to the police: "They didn't take me seriously and even blamed me for my father's aggression." No investigation was opened against her father—a shock for Yamileys. But the staff at Antorchas helped her find a way within her family to escape the violence. And they succeeded: Her father has since moved away. With psychological support, Yamileys is able to process what she experienced.

Yamileys' case is not an isolated incident in Colombia. The decades-long armed conflict between paramilitaries and the Colombian government has made violence commonplace. In a country with a deeply entrenched macho culture, this violence is directed particularly against girls and women. They experience discrimination and assault, are forced into marriage, or sexually exploited. The authorities often remain inactive, so victims rarely report the crimes. terre des hommes wants to change this: An information bus, which hosts workshops, now travels to remote communities in Bolívar to raise awareness of gender-based violence among girls and boys, as well as parents and politicians. For Yamileys, raising awareness among the authorities is especially important. "I'm now helping with lobbying," she says proudly – ​​so that crimes against girls and women are consistently prosecuted.