Background: Research on armed conflict, community violence and health is extensive, yet gaps remain in understanding how criminal armed groups, as key perpetrators, selectively commit violence and how their social control of communities impacts health.

Methods: This mixed-method research examines the causes, geospatial scope, and population-level impacts of armed group violence in the city of Buenaventura, Colombia, conceptualized and conducted with CONPAZCOL, a network of indigenous, Afrodescendent, and farming communities impacted by the Colombian conflict. Three data sources were triangulated to examine reported and perceived patterns of violence in Buenaventura from 2010 to 2023: 1) Geospatial police crime data by neighborhood; 2) key informant interviews (KIIs) with local officials, social leaders, and NGO representatives; 3) community mapping sessions with CONPAZCOL communities identifying areas residents considered safe and unsafe and safety strategies.

Results: Crime data, KIIs, and community mapping identified overlapping and distinct areas of elevated violence. Police data showed hotspots downtown, which KIs attributed to increased reporting and police presence in a higher income area. KIs reported that violence clustered by waterways armed groups used for drug trafficking.

Conclusion: The combination of police crime data, KIIs and community mapping presents a nuanced and layered examination of ‘official’ violence, perceived violence, and invisible violence, as well as highlighting strategies to avoid violence victimization.