20# Violence Against Women

A Fight That Must Never End

Violence against women is a global problem deeply rooted in the structures of many societies. It takes many forms – from domestic violence and forced marriage to honour killings and commercial sexual exploitation – and often remains hidden, concealed by silence, shame and a lack of consequences.

Despite the progress women have fought for over the past centuries, we still face enormous challenges. It is time to address not only the symptoms but also the root causes of this violence.

Looking Back: From Struggle to Reality

For more than two centuries, women's rights activists have fought to have a voice in public life. They campaigned for the right to vote, the right to education and access to employment.

Yet these achievements, however significant, are not enough to dismantle the deeply rooted patriarchal structures that continue to oppress women around the world.

In many cultures, women are still regarded as property – a perspective used to justify violence. In some countries, forced marriages and honour killings remain a tragic reality. Women who resist these traditions risk not only social exclusion but also their lives.

Meanwhile, in Western countries, domestic violence is often dismissed as a "private matter", even though its consequences deeply affect society.

According to statistics from 2022, approximately 14,000 women in Berlin alone reported cases of domestic violence – and these are only the known cases.

The Invisible Chains of Tradition

Traditions can create a sense of identity and community, but they can also become chains.

In conservative communities, controlling women is often presented as a form of protection. Yet this supposed protection traps girls within rigid gender roles. They are not allowed to express their opinions, make their own decisions or, in many cases, even dream.

One of the most extreme forms of this oppression is female genital mutilation, which is practised in certain cultures as a ritual intended to control female sexuality.

This practice not only causes severe physical harm but also leaves psychological wounds that can last a lifetime.

Violence Has Many Faces

Violence against women knows no social, cultural or religious boundaries. It exists in wealthy and poor societies alike, in liberal as well as conservative communities.

It is often reinforced by power structures that systematically disadvantage women.

The psychological consequences of this violence are devastating. Women's shelters report cases of mothers fleeing with their children, unable to see any prospects for their future.

Their dignity is gradually eroded through physical abuse, threats and humiliation.

Silence Is Not an Option

Perhaps the greatest danger is silence.

It is easy to turn a blind eye to the suffering of others, especially when confronting it becomes uncomfortable. But silence can allow violence to continue. Each of us has a responsibility to look, listen and act.

Violence against women is not merely a women's issue. It is a societal issue. It affects all of us – men, women and children.

A society that tolerates violence deprives itself of its own humanity.

A Revolution for Equality

Equality is not a permanent state but an ongoing process that must be defended and advanced.

We must ask ourselves: How can we create a world in which women no longer live in fear, but in strength?

The answer lies in education, awareness and legislation.

• Education: Girls and boys must learn from an early age to treat one another with respect.

• Awareness: Taboo subjects such as domestic violence and female genital mutilation must be discussed openly and without fear.

• Legislation: Tougher penalties for perpetrators and greater protection for victims are necessary, alongside the expansion of support services such as women's shelters.

  
  

The Road Ahead

It is shameful that in a world so technologically and scientifically advanced, women's rights are still being violated in so many regions.

The fight for equality must not end until every woman, regardless of her background or social status, can live in dignity, freedom and safety.

Let us amplify the voices that have been silenced for far too long.

Let us bring light into the shadows where so many women remain trapped.

And let us fight together for a world in which violence against women is not only condemned but completely overcome – in words, thoughts and actions.

Anastasia Weimer