The translation of the Farsi text is: “This is a caption.”
Saeed Madani

“The world will never achieve peace unless people have security in their daily lives.” This short phrase at the beginning of the United Nations Human Development Report illustrates that a sense of security is a crucial indicator of social well-being and also reflects the level of violence in a society.

Violence is a state of behavior in which a person uses physical or non-physical force to impose their will on others. It is the central theme of various definitions of violence, force, and the use of force. “Violence is the unjust, illegal, and aggressive use of power, often accompanied by severe disrespect and excessive anger. It also includes the abuse of power against public rights, laws, and universal freedoms, and the use of force or any physical force to harm, damage, or exploit is considered an act of violence.” According to the World Health Organization’s report in 2014, violence is defined as the use of physical force in public and the threat of its use against an individual, group, or community, which is likely to result in injury, death, or physical harm and hinder growth, development, or deprivation.”

Violence can be divided into four types: physical, sexual, psychological, and social, based on its nature. On the other hand, violence can be divided into three types based on the parties involved: violence against oneself, interpersonal violence, and collective violence. In terms of scope, it can be categorized into three groups: violence against oneself (such as suicide or self-harm, which I believe is a major social issue, leading to addiction or mental illnesses), interpersonal violence (from domestic abuse to street violence), and group violence (violence by a large group or government in political, social, economic, and cultural dimensions). Violence can also be divided based on its location: domestic violence, educational violence, street violence, or workplace violence. Similarly, violence against women, children, the elderly, or a group or community is a topic that is often discussed in many studies.

Every year, more than 1.3 million people around the world are killed or die as a result of violence. According to a report by the World Health Organization, 4,400 people are killed daily due to violence. Violence is the fourth leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 44. Interestingly, out of the 6.1 million people who lost their lives in 2000, half committed suicide, one-third were killed, and one-fifth were related to war.

Rape is one of the most heinous and ugliest forms of violence, a significant portion of which goes unreported due to victims’ desire to protect their honor or fear of its social and familial consequences, and is never reported. Victims of rape are often women and children, especially girls. In a study on pregnant women, it has been reported that the prevalence of violence among them is very high, with 48% experiencing domestic violence, of which 21% is sexual violence.

Violence against children in Iran is also very high, but there is no comprehensive information or statistics in this area. A recent study conducted in 31 provinces reported a prevalence rate of 28.2% for violence against children. According to another study, the prevalence of sexual violence against children is estimated to be up to 42%. However, the prevalence of sexual violence varies between 4.3% and 42% depending on the population of the society.

A study on the status of violence and insecurity against women in the city of Mashhad shows that 75% of women have experienced at least one form of harassment, such as honking or flashing lights by drivers, during the 6 months leading up to this research. In addition, 84% have experienced catcalling and staring by the opposite gender, 38% have experienced braking and revving, 85% have experienced being followed, 52% have experienced being pressured to give or take a phone number, and 39% have experienced being blocked on the road. All of these are different forms of violence and harassment against women.

Will the increasing trend of violence and abuse against women decrease in the future? In a study conducted in 2015, a sample of the population aged 15 and above was asked about their opinions on the state of crime and violence in the future. Out of the total sample, 47.6% said it will get worse and 29.8% said it won’t make a difference. This means that the current situation is bad.

What should be done to combat the increasing trend of violence and assault? As far as it is related to the government and political system, these disorders are primarily the result of incorrect economic, social, and cultural policies. Undoubtedly, there is a significant relationship between the level of poverty and inequality and violence and social harms. Therefore, stopping the current undesirable trend of violence and assault requires serious and fundamental reconsideration in governance, which is currently not showing any signs of willingness to reform. On the other hand, intensifying the punishment of offenders is only limited to the disclosure of the assault and the start of the judicial process, which is often not possible due to the effectiveness of the judicial system; because offenders are concerned about the consequences and social and familial impacts of reporting and complaining about the assault and are afraid. Therefore, the first priority of any intervention is prevention. The possibility of treatment or enforcing the rights of victims after the assault is very limited. In such circumstances, education and awareness about women’s