FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE

Asia, Africa, Europe – in Benin, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of Congo but also in the heart of Germany: violence against women is ever present. Women aged between 15 and 45 are far more likely to be beaten to death or crippled by their husbands than die from cancer or malaria, in a traffic accident or as a result of war. We delve into the lives of women who have been subjected to horrific violence, yet managed to fight their way free. They talk about the violence that has been inflicted upon them, their struggle for survival, their hopes, fears and attempts to build a new life away from violence. And the men? Many of them describe violence against women as a normal part of their lives. Against a background of different cultures and social systems, we illustrate and analyse the mechanisms and structures of violence against women. The eye-opening message is that the structures of violence that exist in Europe are no less relentless than in African and Asian countries. It is only the strength of the protagonists that allows them to break out of the multi-generational cycle. Minara, Nakatya, Vumilia, Maya... they have achieved nothing less than change the world a little thanks to their hard-earned self-confidence.