No Safe Public Place for Women and Girls in Iran

LAPrograsive-May 09th2024

• ELAHE AMANI
• MAY 7, 2024

Over the past 45 years, Iranian women and girls have been systematically disenfranchised of their rights and dignity in both public and private spheres. They have been subjected to gender-based violence, harassment, and discrimination in various contexts, including the home, society, workplace, schools, and universities. The Women Life Freedom movement, the longest and most significant social uprising in the last 45 years, has been led by women and girls who have courageously challenged the authoritarian power structures that perpetuate gender-based oppression. This movement represents the culmination of silenced anger and the burning desire of women and girls to reclaim their dignity and rights, and to demand a more just and equitable society.

During the past decade, numerous accounts of harassment and gender-based violence in Iran have surfaced in media and social media, exposing the pervasive nature of gender-based violence in various aspects of their daily lives. These narratives encompass physical, psychological, and verbal harassment in private and public spaces, including the workplace, schools and universities, streets, markets, and even virtual environments.

Of course, the lack of any national and comprehensive research on gender-based violence and discrimination against women in Iran obscures the true extent of the gender-based violence in public and private spheres.

Accountability for these human rights violations is weak, and the government’s plans to address them are inadequate. Specifically, criminal laws in Iran do not recognize sexual harassment as a crime, and the term “Sexual Harassment “is absent from the Islamic Penal Code. This omission creates significant obstacles for victims seeking justice, as the legal framework fails to provide clear definitions and punishments for sexual harassment.

When a woman or girl dare to report instances of harassment or violence in the workplace, educational institutions, or universities, they are frequently met with resistance from patriarchal authorities and a regressive culture that perpetuates silence and victim-blaming. This toxic environment not only discourages women from speaking out but also re-traumatizes them by questioning their credibility and integrity. The ultimate goal of this oppressive system is to maintain the existing gender power dynamics and preserve women’s subordinate status. By silencing and shaming victims, the patriarchal structure ensures that women remain marginalized and powerless, and that the cycle of violence and harassment continues unchallenged.

In addition to the consequences of coming forward and cultural barriers, the disproportionate punishment for perpetrators of sexual harassment, assault and rape also is a barrier in reporting. For example, rape is punishable by death by hanging in Iran’s Islamic Penal Code if it is carried out by force or threat of force.

In the absence of comprehensive national research on violence and harassment against women in public spheres, a limited scale research by daily Newspaper Etemad in Iran last year shed light on the alarming statistics. Although the research methodology and participant demographics were unclear, the findings were striking.

According to the report, out of approximately 2,500 individuals, every woman or girl experiences verbal, physical, or visual harassment between one and 20 times, depending on their exposure to public spaces. Moreover, men are 10 times more likely to engage in teasing compare to women teasing men and physical harassment by men is over 15 times more prevalent than by women. The report revealed that an overwhelming 85.4% of women face “teasing” in public places, 85.1% in offices and commercial areas, 84.8% in transportation hubs, and 84.1% in streets and passageways.

The aforementioned statistics do not account for the pervasive harassment and sexual assault of women and girls in public spaces by the morality police, plainclothes officers, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). These authorities have consistently targeted Iranian, foreign, Muslim, and non-Muslim women, arresting, detaining, or fining them for their alleged “bad hijab,”  a term uniquely prevalent in Iran, where women’s hair is policed to ensure full coverage. The hijab has become the Achilles’ heel of the Islamic Republic of Iran, deeply ingrained in the regime’s core identity. The enforcement of hijab compliance has led to tragic events like the death of Mahsa Amini. In response, Iranian women have courageously transformed every physical and virtual space—including streets, workplaces, and their own bodies – into sites of civil disobedience and resistance over the past 45 years. This relentless struggle against the compulsory hijab has become a powerful symbol of defiance against the Islamic Republic’s patriarchal grip.

Regrettably, accurate data on sexual harassment victims in Iran is also lacking, but official and unofficial reports suggest that 66% of victims remain silent about their experiences. Furthermore, in 2019, official news sources indicated that 80% of harassment cases go unreported, with Tehran accounting for the highest incidence of sexual harassment. Sociologist Saeed Madani reported that Tehran experiences 1,650 sexual crimes annually, which is clearly not reflecting the true scope of this issue.

Read more on original:

https://www.laprogressive.com/gender-discrimination/safe-public-place-for-women