Among thousands fleeing the crumbling dream of an Islamic State group “caliphate” in eastern Syria are alleged jihadists but also survivors of some of their worst atrocities.

A beautician arranges products for sale at an aestethic clinic in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on October 30, 2018.For three years, Mosul’s women were covered in black from head to toe and its men had to keep their beards long. Salons were shut, and plastic surgery considered a crime.

A woman wearing niqab walks past a police woman in Berlin, Germany.

Children’s life decisions are often difficult for parents to bear and even more difficult to understand — especially when the children radicalize themselves. DW met an affected German mother.

Mediha felt like the “Islamic State” had stripped her of her identity

While the “Islamic State” (IS) has lost most of its cities in Iraq and Syria, thousands of Yazidis it kidnapped are still missing. Activists say some are being hidden within IS families. Judit Neurink reports from Irbil.

A model presents a creation by designer Lynn Siregar from her brand Weddingku Gallery during Tokyo Modest Fashion Show, Muslim fashion show, at Halal Expo Japan in Tokyo, Japan, November 22, 2016.

Reports from Iraq suggest that as many as five Japanese are among those detained after the fall of an “Islamic State” stronghold near Mosul. Why did they leave safe and peaceful Japan to live in a war zone?

@ picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. Martin

We have heard about women in some countries who are accused of being witches. In most cases they are not more than innocent and socially very vulnerable women, whose situations have been taken advantage by a community that needs somebody to be blamed for any kind of misfortune. These women are often humiliated, tortured, and killed. Imagine all of those horrible things happening to children. Yes, even a two-year-old boy can be accused of being a witch. We say thank you for your comments that condemn this kind of practice!

Cologne was the scene of mass sexual assault on New Year’s Eve. Police say more than 500 complaints have now been filed, with about 40 percent involving sexual offenses. Read more here and check out other news about women that made it to the headlines this week.