Domestic Sexual Abuse of Minors Is Alarmingly Common
Over 70% of Iranians say they have been groped at home by one of their relatives without their consent, an Iran Open Data poll has shown. Women have been subjected to domestic sexual harassment almost three times more than men, according to the poll. A significant portion of this sexual abuse occurred during the victims’ childhood. Over half the respondents say they first experienced domestic sexual harassment at the age of 10 or younger. A third of the respondents state that they have never talked to anyone about the abuse.
Domestic violence is so widespread that it has led some experts to conclude that homes are not necessarily safer than the streets. One of the most significant and damaging forms of this violence is domestic sexual violence. This violence may be perpetrated by immediate family members such as fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters, or by other family members. It may also be perpetrated by a spouse.
Global statistics show 30% of women have been sexually abused by their intimate partner or other family members. In other words, 736 million women worldwide have been victims of domestic violence. Additionally, 6% of women globally have been sexually abused in their homes by individuals other than their spouses.
Although domestic violence has received some attention in Iran and statistics are available on the topic, domestic sexual abuse has not been thoroughly investigated at the national level. Reporting sexual abuse in Iran is limited by cultural and legal constraints. The disclosure of domestic sexual abuse is associated with shaming, which restricts the reporting of such cases. Furthermore, according to legal definitions of sexual abuse, certain acts, such as marital rape, are not considered legally punishable offenses. Therefore, non-consensual sexual intercourse by married couples is not legally regarded as sexual abuse, and in many cases, it may not be recognized as such culturally, either.
Despite these limitations, some studies indicate that domestic violence against women has become widespread, accounting for 17.5% to 93.6% of abuse cases during the 2000s decade. The highest prevalence of abuse overall has been psychological abuse, while the lowest has been sexual abuse. In smaller-scale investigations, the most significant instances of sexual abuse have been reported as cases of women and girls experiencing sexual abuse by their fathers or brothers.
Due to the limited data available on domestic sexual abuse, Iran Open Data conducted an online poll and asked social media users to share their experiences. The survey was available from 6th February to 11th March, 2023. During this period, 937 individuals participated. 65% of the respondents were male, 33% were female, and the remaining 2% identified as other genders. 95% of the respondents said they resided in urban areas, while the remaining 5% said they were from rural areas. The respondents were scattered across 31 provinces, with the majority stating that they reside in Tehran. The lowest response rate came from residents of South Khorasan and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces. The average age of the respondents was 33 years. 44% of the respondents had education levels below a bachelor's degree, while 56% had education levels beyond a bachelor's degree. 37% of the respondents were single, 50% were married, and the remaining 13% had either been separated, divorced, or bereaved.
The following brief report and accompanying charts provide an overview of the general poll results.
Sexual abuse by relatives
71% of the respondents say that at some point in their lives, one of their relatives groped them while they were at home.
- Women have clearly been more affected by domestic sexual abuse than men. Three-fourths of the female respondents state that they have experienced domestic sexual abuse in their lives, while approximately one-fourth of the male respondents report having had such an experience.
- Married individuals and those who have been previously married (separated, divorced, or widowed) have been more affected by domestic sexual abuse compared to single individuals.
Awareness of others experiencing sexual abuse
57% of the respondents state that they have directly heard from a friend or acquaintance that one of their family members has groped them.
Perpetrators
- Respondents said the most cases sexual abuse, namely 19%, was perpetrated by the victims’ brothers. An additional 54% of the perpetrators were identified as uncles, cousins, or nephews.
- If we divide the perpetrators into two categories: first-degree family members (including father, mother, brother, sister, paternal and maternal grandparents) and second-degree family members (including uncles, aunts, cousins), second-degree family members included more perpetrators than first-degree family members.
- Individuals under the age of 40 said they primarily experienced sexual abuse by their first-degree family members (including father, mother, brother, sister, paternal and maternal grandparents), while individuals above the age of 40 have predominantly experienced sexual abuse by second-degree family members (including uncles, aunts, cousins).
- Individuals with university education said they experienced more sexual abuse from their first-degree family members (including father, mother, brother, sister, paternal and maternal grandparents).
Victims’ Age
- The average age when respondents said they experienced domestic sexual abuse for the first time is approximately 11 years old. 54% of the respondents said they were first subjected to domestic sexual abuse at the age of ten or younger.
- Only 5% of the respondents report experiencing domestic sexual abuse at the age of twenty or older.
- Married individuals are more likely to have experienced domestic abuse during childhood (under the age of 10), while unmarried individuals said they experienced such abuse between the ages of 10 and 20. However, individuals who were previously married (separated, divorced, or widowed) said they have encountered domestic sexual abuse more frequently at older ages, above 20 years.
- 37% of respondents said they were alone at home with the perpetrator when they experienced the abuse. Another 36% said they were “sometimes” alone at home with the perpetrator in such situations. However, 24% also stated that they were not alone at home.
- Men were more likely to have experienced sexual abuse when they were alone at home with the perpetrator, whereas women were more likely to be subjected to abuse whe someone other than the perpetrator was also present in the house.
- Individuals under the age of 40 were more likely to experience sexual abuse when they were alone at home with the perpetrator, while individuals over the age of 40 were more likely to be subjected to abuse when someone other than the perpetrator was also present in the house.
Discussing sexual abuse
- Only 34% of the respondents who have said they experienced domestic sexual abuse say they have talked to others about it.
- In other words, approximately two-thirds of the victims have refrained from discussing it.
- Women are more likely than men to have talked to others about their experiences.
