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January 28, 2025

The story of children’s suffering, from today to tomorrow / Ali Kalaii

“این عکس یک زن با لباس سفید را نشان می‌دهد”

This photo shows a woman wearing a white dress.
Ali Kalai

“Eight and a half percent of the 160,000 calls related to child abuse are related to the Welfare Organization. This is a statement made by Habibollah Masoudifar, the Deputy of Social Affairs at the Welfare Organization and a specialist in social medicine, in an interview with Salamat News in November of this year.”

According to statistics, due to the hidden nature of child abuse in Iran and the reluctance of Iranian families to report cases of child abuse, it is estimated that the number of child abuse cases, both at home and in public settings, is much higher than reported. Five years ago, Khabar Online reported on a daily average of 20 cases of child abuse in Iran, and with a total of over 7,400 cases in 1389 (2010-2011), concluded that “society takes revenge on its children in a chaotic manner. Children who unknowingly step into a harsh society that empties all its anger and frustration on them due to its economic, emotional, and social problems.”

Dr. Saeed Madani (sociologist and criminologist) and Mojtaba Bayat (graduate of sociology) have defined the issue of child abuse in an article titled “Poverty and Child Abuse in Iran” published in issue 35 of the scientific journal of social welfare. They define child abuse as “any physical or psychological harm, sexual abuse, exploitation, or failure to meet the basic needs of individuals under the age of 18 by others in a non-accidental manner.”

Furthermore, in this study, they have mentioned another perspective on this issue titled “Child Maltreatment”, which includes physical abuse of children, sexual abuse of children, and neglect of children. Child maltreatment is a general term that is mostly used by child psychiatrists.

They also define child abuse as follows, according to the World Health Organization: “Harm or threat to the physical and mental health, or happiness and well-being of a child by parents or individuals responsible for them.”

But these child abuses occur in two areas. The private sphere, personal and within families, and the public sphere; a sphere that does not belong to any particular individual, but is used by the public. From public spaces such as parks, gardens, sports and cultural and recreational places, to schools and offices, are defined as public places. Places where public child abuses sometimes occur and are left without intervention or action, and sometimes even ignored by authorities and society. Not too long ago, in the daily life of the city, physical punishment of children by parents, adults, and even non-parents was present and not hidden. The teacher’s stick was better than the father’s love, and even in schools, the teacher’s stick was considered precious and whoever did not receive it was a loser! Something that can still be seen easily. Although today there is more sensitivity towards these issues and the legal system has considered obstacles and punishments for them, such behaviors can still be found in schools in Iran, 

But what is the reason for child abuse and warnings? According to previous research by Dr. Madani and Mr. Bayat, “the more economic problems there are, the higher the likelihood of child abuse.” In fact, this is the main theme of most studies conducted in this field. In the previous research mentioned, after investigating the relationship between poverty, social problems, and child abuse, four factors were introduced that could create a conducive environment for child abuse. These factors include household income, the type of family residence, the location of the family’s residence (upper city, lower city) which refers to the public sphere. This means that the child’s place of residence in an economically and culturally poor area, where crime and unhealthy issues are prevalent, greatly increases the likelihood of child abuse (both physical, such as being beaten on the streets, and sexual abuse). Lastly, child labor is also closely related to the public sphere. Children who are exposed to the labor market and face the adult world

In addition, issues such as the spread of drugs and addiction also have an impact on the increase of child abuse inside and outside of homes.

Of course, emphasizing economic issues does not negate the impact of cultural poverty on the increase of child abuse in Iranian society. Many cases of child abuse have been reported in middle-class families with sufficient income. However, firstly (at least in Iran), according to statistics, the scale tips towards poverty as the main factor in the increase of this problem. Secondly, although poverty is not the only explanatory variable for the issue of child abuse, it is considered one of the main underlying factors.

In this child, according to the official announcement of the Deputy for Social Affairs of the Welfare Organization, based on reports submitted to 123 (social emergency), in an interview mentioned earlier, 98% of the abuses were physical and 2% were related to sexual abuse of children. However, it is necessary to mention that sexual abuses are hidden and dark realities that are usually not reported by families due to cultural reasons. Issues such as honor, shame, family reputation, and the like, cause many cases of sexual abuse (for both girls and boys) to not be reported to the social emergency. But sometimes statistics are announced by relevant authorities and officials that are indicative of the serious situation that exists.

And sometimes there are public cases that shock every observer and despite the passage of time and the desire of some close to the government, they are still not addressed. The issue of Saeed Toosi, the famous Quran reciter, may be considered as an example of this. Children who claim to have been sexually assaulted at a young age and in adulthood are still haunted and tormented by those memories. To this issue, we must add the suffering of carrying this burden of mental anguish throughout all these years!

Another point to note is that in this categorization, there is absolutely no mention of “emotional” or “educational” abuse towards children. These are two cases that are particularly prevalent in the Iranian education system and social environments, without a doubt. Children who are subjected to “humiliation”, “insults”, and dehumanizing words (without physical violence or contact) and are emotionally abused, are not mentioned in official statistics. Similarly, children who are suffering from “educational” abuse are also not accounted for in statistics! Children who are “deprived of education” and those whose brains are bombarded with a mass of educational materials and have no place for their childhood, are also, in fact, victims of abuse. But in Iran, there is no place for these two types of child abuse, and it seems as if they do not even exist!

Dr. Anoushiravan Mohseni Bandpei, the head of the National Welfare Organization, announced in an interview with Jom Jom newspaper in November of this year that 7000 children have been accepted nationwide, with 4400 in the provinces and 2600 in Tehran.

Of course, these statistics compared to previous statistics show that in many cases of child abuse, attempts have been made to resolve the issue in the same space. The ratio of reported cases of child abuse to children under the care of welfare indicates that only the most severely abused children are transferred to welfare, while the rest are returned to the same environments where they were abused or were unable to defend themselves by being present in those environments.

In the current year, I also became a member of the Mental Health Scientific Council at the Health Sciences Research Institute of the University Jihad, in a meeting held in honor of Children’s Week, it was stated that: “Last year, close to 8,000 cases of child abuse were reported in Iran. This statistic is certainly not accurate because only a fraction of cases are reported and it is just the tip of the iceberg, as we are not familiar with many forms of abuse and violence, or we consider them as part of our traditions, such as child rearing.”

And again, the same issue. The lack of accurate statistics and also the lack of precise understanding of what is truly considered child abuse.

In 2007, the UNICEF representative in Iran reported on limited studies conducted in Iran regarding child abuse and violence against children. According to regional and limited research conducted with the help of the Ministry of Health on child abuse, 31% of children aged 1-3, 21% of children aged 6-10, and 9% of children aged 12-18 are subjected to abuse and violence.

Furthermore, more than 20% of children aged 6 to 11 are still being punished in schools.

Based on another research conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and UNICEF on child abuse in Iran, approximately 20% of children aged 6 to 11 and over 9% of adolescents aged 12 to 18 are subjected to physical punishment.

These are statistics mentioned by Negar Shahmirzadi in her report on the BBC Persian website in the month of Ordibehesht of this year. In her report titled “What do the statistics of child abuse in Iran reveal?”, she continues, “According to another study conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and UNICEF on child abuse in Iran, approximately 20% of children aged 6 to 11 and over 9% of adolescents aged 12 to 18 experience physical punishment.”

It should not be forgotten that until the year 1381, child abuse in Iran was considered a private crime. However, after the proposal of a 12-article plan by the Society for the Protection of Children’s Rights to the Parliament and its approval by the Health Commission, “child abuse” was included as a public crime.

In 1393, Shiva Dolat Abadi, the head of the Association for the Protection of Children’s Rights, said in an interview with the ISNA news agency that “32% of high school girls have experienced sexual abuse and overall, half of the female population has experienced sexual abuse, often by a stranger in places such as bridges, buses, and other vulnerable urban spaces.” She also reports cases of child abuse in places such as kindergartens and schools, which are not disclosed due to lack of public supervision and are not dealt with. This is just a small part of the iceberg that exists and is slowly destroying our society.

Another point that we must keep in mind is to look at official statistics with skepticism and doubt, the issue of the official interpretation of government and its difference with global norms. According to religious teachings, sexual maturity marks the end of childhood and therefore an individual who has reached sexual maturity (even if under 18 years old) is no longer considered a child and any harm inflicted upon them should not be classified under the issue of child abuse.

Children, according to the global definition, are considered good in Iran based on the understanding of lawmakers and the customs of society. Behman Kashavarz, an experienced lawyer, has said in relation to this duality: “In the cultural aspect, when it is stated in the Civil Code and Islamic Penal Code that punishing children within reasonable limits is permissible, it becomes subjective because the standard of reasonableness and custom is within ourselves and after committing the act, the judge will use the standard of custom as a measure. This becomes a matter of personal taste. It is possible that some individuals in certain local cultures allow themselves to commit severe abuse against their children under the pretext of intending to discipline them. In the first step, this issue must be resolved.”

However, despite these numbers and figures, despite the warnings and occasional announcements by officials in the country, the issue of child abuse has been hidden and is still considered normal in many areas of the country. And even if some numbers are announced, a simple calculation can show that the reality is much more than what is officially reported by the authorities. A number that does not have a complete statistic. Cases of psychological violence and other types of violence that are examined in advanced countries of the world are not considered a problem in Iran, and when it is not considered a problem, it does not appear in statistics.

The warning tone of official authorities in this regard is indicative of a major disaster in this area. This statement may seem cliché, but our children are truly the future builders of our society. A society that burdens its children with numerous sufferings and abuses cannot imagine a bright future for itself. Something must be done! It’s not too late, at least not yet!

Created By: Ali Kalaei
December 26, 2016

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Abuse and insult Ali Kala'i Child abuse Disrespect Educational harassment Insulting people Mental distress Mojtaba Bayat Monthly Peace Line Magazine Paragraph peace line Physical discipline Poverty and child abuse in Iran. Private crime Public crimes Researcher Saeed Madani Sociology To reprimand or punish. Violence Violence against children Welfare World Health Organization