How are the following groups represented in the documentary and what is the intended impact on the spectator?

Women – In Sisters in Law, women are represented as having had enough with the patriarchal society in place which has led to them being beaten, sexually abused and sold to men for marriage among many other criminal acts. Spectators see both female victims of mistreatment, such as Amina, who have been pushed to the point that she is terrified to even see her abusive husband, as well as defenders of the victims, like Vera, who is willing to stand up to men in order to get justice for her clients.

Men – Most men in Sisters in Law are represented as being cruel to women and patriarchal in beliefs that they ‘own’ the women in their lives. This can be seen with people such as the man at the beginning who is attempting to get custody of a child he had with his wife, who had been forced to marry him after a sale between the man and the woman’s father. However, this doesn’t apply to Stephen, who breaks the expectations set in the film by being compassionate to Manka, a young child abused by a family member.

Children – Children, specifically young girls, are represented as being vulnerable in a society full of cruelty and brutality. We see this both with Manka, who was taken from her family by her abusive stepsister following the death of her mum, and Sonita, a 9 year old who was raped by a neighbour.

Muslim People – Muslim people, specifically men, use their religion as a method to almost trap women in situations they don’t want to be in, as seen when the male lawyer attempts to get a domestic abuse case overturned due to Muslim beliefs surrounding divorce.