In Fix the System, Not the Women, Laura Bates powerfully brings to light the deep-rooted and systemic nature of gender-based violence and discrimination. With remarkable clarity and compassion, Bates weaves together individual stories and personal anecdotes that expose the grim realities many women face daily. But beyond just telling these stories, she emphasizes the sheer volume of such experiences, showing that this isn’t about isolated incidents—it’s about a societal structure that perpetuates these harms.

The book does not shy away from heart-wrenching narratives: from the wife who was raped by her husband but told herself "he couldn’t have raped me because we’re married," to the horrific account of a lesbian girl subjected to genital mutilation by her own father in a brutal attempt to "cure" her sexuality. Bates also touches on the harsh reality faced by women of colour and police violence and inaction.

What sets Fix the System, Not the Women apart is how it lays bare the fallacy that individual women need to change their behavior to avoid violence. Instead, Bates calls for a re-examination and overhaul of the structures that allow gendered violence to persist. These so-called 'individual' cases of gender-based violence against women occur far too routinely to be considered isolated incidents.

This is a hard, often heartbreaking read, but a vital one. Bates shows us that these issues are not new or rare but deeply ingrained in the fabric of society. For real change, it’s the system that needs fixing, not the women who are victimized by it.