The growing popularity of the “Me -Too” Movement and publication of numerous reports and articles on sexual harassment against women in various ways have led to the widespread discussion of this anomaly in the society for the purpose of getting to the root causes of the issue.
According to these reports, the victims of such sexual assaults often include young women and girls, and their occurrence took place in unexpected circumstances and by those who, based on family, job or social status have been assured from the "silence" of women and the "impunity".
Such a "feeling of immunity" from the reaction of society and current laws stems from several factors, the most important of which is rooted in society's traditions and attitudes towards women, which are followed by "normalization" and the passage of patriarchal reactionary laws and cause fear and instability in the will of victimized women in pursuing and punishing the perpetrator.
"Norms" made in a patriarchal society, which are formed in terms such as: "honor", "modesty", "maintaining cover", "not endangering reputation"; Consequently, the punishments of flogging and execution for perpetrators of sexual crimes, on the one hand, and the promotion of these "norms" through educational books, as well as broadcasting dialogue and producing programs and series such as "Aghazadeh - Gentle" in the country's public media, had brought this problem to the point where the rape victims had only two options: silence or suicide.
It is necessary to mention one point in the decision of the victimized women not to complain about the abuser, and that is the deeply humane view and the pang of conscience that women face in the face of the extremely inhumane death sentence, when deciding to file a complaint against the abusers. What can be effective in this reaction and decision-making is the abolition of the death penalty and the imposition of heavy prison sentences on the perpetrators of such crimes.
Although in recent years we have seen many cases of breaking silence and reinforcing the idea that "the victim is not to blame" at the community level, but still the country and society, especially in deprived areas and towns and villages adhered to unwritten traditions and laws, have a long way in fighting this serious scourge of society, which includes not only women but also young children who are unable to defend themselves and resist against rape and sexual harassment.
The Women Working Group of the Left Party of Iran (People's Fadaian) declares its support for the “Me - Too” movement and believes that by welcoming this movement by women who are victims of rape and sexual harassment, it is possible and necessary to change wrong patriarchal norms and written and unwritten reactionary laws in favor of women.
Women Working Group of the Left Party of Iran (People’s Fadaian)
August 29, 2020
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