Taboo and secrecy

This ground-breaking book delves deep into the harrowing and often hidden issue of child sexual abuse in Iran, with a particular focus on incest.

“Taboo and Secrecy” A research conducted by Kameel Ahmady and his team combines rigorous research with poignant fieldwork, shedding light on the multifaceted dimensions of this sensitive subject. This book not only highlights the prevalence and impact of child sexual abuse but also calls for urgent reforms and preventive measures. By advocating for education, awareness, and legal protection, it aims to foster a safer environment for children in Iran and beyond. “Taboo and Secrecy” is an essential read for policymakers, educators, social workers, and anyone committed to understanding and combating child sexual abuse. Its evidence-based approach and heartfelt narratives make it a powerful tool for advocacy and change.

Child Sexual Abuse in Iran

According to structuralist theories in sociology, the family social system has an internal order, which is based on the sexual law of “no sexual relations with relatives”. However, during the process of evolution and transformation, this cultural order turns against itself and, in some cases, leads to the suppression of personal identity, expulsion and isolation, sexual abuse, honor killings, and so on. Despite being considered a main social institution, the family in its various forms is not immune to unpleasant events, especially Child Sexual Abuse in various forms. Intrafamily sexual abuse, abuse of power and dominance, and exerting violence on those who lack the power to enforce their sexual demands in the form of physical and psychological violation of the individual’s integrity are among them. Depending on the prevailing culture and beliefs of each society, the physical, and psychological consequences, and deep traumas of this act will vary based on the type of imposed sexual activity, the nature of family relationships and kinship, as well as the age and gender of the parties involved.

Incest and Child Sexual Abuse in Iran

In Iran, due to reasons such as the taboo of sexual violence, especially in the family environment, social stigma, fear of severe punishment, and lack of registration and reporting of sexual violence against children, there are no accurate statistics or valid evidence about this phenomenon, especially in the family environment. Forcing children into silence and expelling them prevents the formation of voluntary supportive and therapeutic actions and causes the failure of government and non-governmental child rehabilitation services for the affected individuals. However, the government of Iran, due to its ideological considerations, is not in favor of sexual education in schools and other educational systems. This is contrary to the policies adopted in many countries and recognized by international documents. Sexual education, while promoting children’s awareness of sexual matters, teaches them methods and techniques for self-care. Due to the lack of systematic access to this education for children in Iran and the consequent lack of skills and awareness (especially for children in remote areas and poor children), they are more likely to be subjected to abuse and violence.

Backgrounds, Causes, and Factors of Child Sexual Abuse

The backgrounds, causes, and factors involved in child sexual abuse in Iran operate within a complex network of economic, social, and legal cycles. The intervention grounds create the factors of this phenomenon and prepare the ground for the occurrence of child sexual abuse. After the formation of the problem, the mechanism of continuity, intensification, and reproduction of this phenomenon and its consequences become evident. Deprivation creates the basis for violence, and violence becomes the cause of child sexual abuse. Following sexual abuse and based on cultural and social constructs, mechanisms such as fear, expulsion, and victim criminalization deny the abuse, leading to the denial of the social, economic, psychological, and legal support for the affected individuals. This denial results in the intensification and reproduction of the cycle of child sexual abuse. This dialectical relationship between the social institutions existing at the macro, meso, and micro levels of society, influenced by each other, brings different crises to circulation and transfers them to each other.Factors such as inequality and compounded poverty, social instability, cultural beliefs, and the existence of an ideological and inefficient government have led to significant social changes over the past few decades. The logical process of the main findings of this study reveals the taboo and the secrecy of the issue, indicating that the most important causes of child sexual abuse are poverty and deprivation, disorganized families, institutional inefficiencies in providing sexual education and support, lack of clear and transparent laws, and the conflict and contradiction of existing laws.

Consequences

Some of the negative consequences of committing some forms of sexually deviant behaviors are so extensive that they affect not only the perpetrator and the victim but also others associated with them and even the general morality of society. Given the prevalent culture and beliefs in Iranian society, the consequences of sexual violence against children by family members can be classified into structural consequences, such as the weakening of social capital, intermediate consequences, such as family crisis and education, and individual consequences, such as psychological disorders. Some of the most notable consequences identified in this study include the weakening of social relationships and trust, reduction of social capital, disruption of family roles and functions, early marriage or lack of marriage, marital tension, and divorce, gender discrimination, conflict with society and peers, and the breakdown of social ties. Other consequences include psychological and personality disorders, homosexuality, the development of incompatible plans, functional disorders, physical injuries, suicide and self-harm, premature puberty, risky sexual behaviors, addiction to sexual relationships, inappropriate body image, feelings of fear, anger, and self-blame, resentment, insecurity, feelings of violation, entitlement, shame, disgust, terror, revenge, embarrassment, discomfort, helplessness, hopelessness, pessimism, victimization, emotional dependence, depression, feelings of failure, worthlessness, sympathy, jealousy, and some other feelings such as feelings of pleasure from being touched, feelings of being a sexual service provider, feelings of homosexuality, and feelings of being different from others. Generally, the feelings that sexually abused individuals express are situational and vary based on the analysis of the situation. In some canonical situations, they can express their feelings in a combination or even contradiction with the situation.

Some Research Findings from Incest in Iran

– Due to the taboo of sexual violence, especially within the family environment, social stigma, fear of severe punishment, and lack of registration and reporting of sexual violence against children, there are no accurate statistics or valid evidence about this phenomenon in Iran, especially in the family environment.– The Iranian government, due to its ideological considerations, is not in favor of sexual education in schools and other educational systems.– Due to the lack of systematic access to sexual education for children in Iran and the consequent lack of skills and awareness (especially for children in remote areas and poor children), they are more likely to be subjected to abuse and violence.– Following sexual abuse and based on cultural and social constructs, mechanisms such as fear, expulsion, and victim criminalization deny the abuse, leading to the denial of the social, economic, psychological, and legal support for the affected individuals. This denial results in the intensification and reproduction of the cycle of child sexual abuse in Iran. Distribution of respondents according to number and proportion of harassers in per cent psychological and behavioural changes after experiencing sexual abuse, in percent