The problem isn’t Islam, the problem is patriarchy

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Catherine Wolf argues in an article for Der Tagesspiegel that media coverage and common language regarding gender-based violence continue to miss the point, thus perpetuating ongoing discrimination against women. Wolf points out that women must not be limited to the roles of objects and victims, and that gender-based violence should not be portrayed as a culture-specific issue. Rather, we must acknowledge the agency of women and address the underlying global socio-cultural preconditions of violence against women.