The abduction of women. Love and violence in an Ethiopian village.

Abstract

The article explores the dynamics of marriage by abduction in a rural context in south-central Ethiopia. Through ethnographic analysis and historical perspective, the author highlights how this practice, often perceived as violent and oppressive, can be reinterpreted in light of local narratives and the subjective experiences of the women involved. The author deconstructs the dominant imaginary of violence associated with these unions, highlighting how the testimonies of the women themselves offer a more nuanced and composite view of gender relations and forms of marriage. The article challenges the rigid and one-sided interpretations of state and official memory policies, proposing a reading that gives value to peripheral women's voices and their personal histories