Medellín: between violence and vulnerability

Abstract

Medellin is a city that, despite the transformed image it transmits, continues to reproduce multiple vulnerabilities. This article analyzes the determinants of these vulnerabilities in women and youth considering three factors: habitat, institutions, and sector of the population. Using personal testimonies, the paper addresses the themes of youth at risk of forced recruitment into gangs and the constant threat of sexual violence against women. It concludes that subjective analyses of vulnerability should be complemented by habitational and institutional factors to explain the everyday role that fear plays in the lives of the most vulnerable populations.