women victims of violence across the country.20 As such, women are routinely subjected to
violence from both State and non-state actors, and Iran’s government has played an active role in
perpetuating, normalising, and legalising violence against women. 21
The most common body used to submit complaints regarding instances of violence against
women is the police, as these complaints are considered to be in the same category as any violent
crime. There is also a social emergency hotline set up in order to receive complaints related to
domestic violence.22 Iran does not publish accurate qualitative information regarding instances of
violence against women. There is no information made public regarding the rate of complaints
being investigated properly and resulting in the prosecution of the perpetrators, yet there are
reports that point to a pattern of such cases not being properly processed and investigated.23
Women and men have been conditioned to believe that violence against women is in line with
certain interpretations of sharia and, violence against women, such as marital rape, is legal.24 For
this reason, police and other law enforcement officials are unlikely to intervene in domestic
violence cases, and legal counsel is rarely, if ever, provided for women and children who have
been victims of physical, sexual, or psychological violence. Cases of violence against women
and children are underreported25, as women are discouraged from reporting violence they have
suffered.26 When women do come forward it can ruin their lives27 as they are usually discredited
or ignored, since domestic violence is not seen as a crime28, or they are subjected to more
violence.29 Recently, the media and other non-state actors have been building public awareness
campaigns on the matter30, but currently, the means and mechanisms for initiating legal action
for women who report acts of violence are basically non-existent.31
Recommendation Status:
This recommendation has NOT been implemented.
20
Radio Free Europe:https://www.rferl.org/a/1105117.html and https://iranhumanrights.org/2018/11/iran-must-pass-legislationto-protect-women-against-violence/
21
Amnesty International: https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/24000/mde130742012en.pdf
22
Welfare Organization’s hotline: http://123.behzisti.ir/
23
Iran: Victim of domestic and sexual violence, arrested as a child, is executed after unfair trial:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/10/iran-hours-left-to-halt-execution-of-female-juvenile-offender/
24
https://www.rferl.org/a/1105117.html and https://iranhumanrights.org/2018/11/iran-must-pass-legislation-to-protect-womenagainst-violence/
25
https://www.rferl.org/a/1105117.html and https://iranhumanrights.org/2018/11/iran-must-pass-legislation-to-protect-womenagainst-violence/
26
https://iranhumanrights.org/2018/11/iran-must-pass-legislation-to-protect-women-against-violence/
27
https://www.rferl.org/a/1105117.html
28
https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/24000/mde130742012en.pdf and https://iranhumanrights.org/2018/11/iranmust-pass-legislation-to-protect-women-against-violence/
29
https://www.rferl.org/a/1105117.html and https://iranhumanrights.org/2018/11/iran-must-pass-legislation-to-protect-womenagainst-violence/ and https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/24000/mde130742012en.pdf
30
https://www.rferl.org/a/1105117.html
31
https://iranhumanrights.org/2018/11/iran-must-pass-legislation-to-protect-women-against-violence/
3