Scars, Ironies and Resilience: Females Voices in The Daughters of Terror after the Peruvian Armed Conflict

Abstract

The internal armed conflict in Peru (1980-2000) stands as one of the most tragic episodes in its history, marked by violence from both subversive groups and the State, which inflicted severe suffering on the civilian population, particularly on economically marginalized women. This analysis examines Las hijas del terror, a poetry collection by Rocío Silva Santisteban, which amplifies the voices of women who were subjected to kidnapping and sexual violence during this period. Through an interpretive methodology, this study explores how the poems evoke not only sorrow and despair but also employ irony and
absurdity to critique power structures of the sexist, colonial and racist type. The concept of the “open scar” is introduced to reflect on resilience and the interconnectedness between victims and society. Specific poems, including “BavioLADA”, “Are You Afraid of Blood?”, “What Does Not Destroy Me Strengthens Me”, and “Chunniqwasi”, are analyzed to delve deeply into these themes.