Global and local conflicts often emerge due to sociopolitical changes. Many of these changes entail negative consequences to women, usually in the form of violence against them. This article describes some of the oppressive conditions of women living in technologically underdeveloped and developed countries, as well as in war and state-sponsored violence areas. Special attention is also given to the gender-specific violence experienced by refugee women. A review of women’s reactions to oppression and violence suggests that many cope with their grief through creative transformation. Women’s resistance movements and their contributions to the liberation and peace process embody female forms of empowerment. This article discusses feminine movements such as las madres (mothers), campesinas (peasants), Amazonas (Amazons), and arpilleras (women who make arpilleras–cloth pictures) as examples of female empowerment in the midst of violence. We conclude that women’s resistance against violence has altered our discourse of culture, gender, and politics.
