The activities of combatants in paramilitary groups in Colombia can be seen as ‘dirty work’ that acts as a form of social control. We study the experiences and representations of former combatants concerning violence perpetrated by their groups against ‘outsiders’, arguing that the rhetoric of paramilitary groups not only plays a role in denying crimes. It makes possible for combatants to dignify the dirty work of paramilitary activities, but also offers an opportunity to study social control in Colombia in times of economic transnationalization and neo-conservatism.