The destructive effects of imprisoning women on families and society / Hermoz Sharifian
The beginning of the modern era marked the beginning of significant changes for societies, especially traditional ones, as many customary and religious rules, as well as common boundaries, were altered or shifted. One of the most important changes was the increased and more prominent presence of women in social spheres. With the rise of the Qajar dynasty in Iran, women’s presence in traditional society became even more prevalent as they began to engage in activities that were previously reserved for men.
One of the consequences of women’s presence, especially in political and social arenas, was their confrontation and clash with governments that were dominated by men; men who did not even allow men to oppose them by establishing and forming totalitarian and despotic governments. Women, who were not even considered “fully rational” and whose opinions were not accepted, faced even more challenges. As time passed, these confrontations took the form of a struggle, and the roots of the “women’s movement” slowly grew, gained strength, and ultimately resulted in a strong and stable form of women’s confrontation with governments. The voice of women’s protest was sometimes heard more by despotic rulers than that of men.
During the era of “Pahlavi II”, the peak of women’s role in society, especially in the political arena, was prominent. This role often led to resistance and opposition against the government, to the point where women’s feet even opened the doors of “prison” and the “women’s ward” became a constant presence in all prisons of the country.
Of course, not all women prisoners have entered prison for political reasons. Their strong presence in society and acceptance of responsibilities outside the family environment have led to them committing crimes, or as it is said, “breaking the law,” which is inevitable. For these reasons – as mentioned before – women have also become a constant presence in Iranian prisons. Many current female prisoners are in prison due to financial problems and crimes such as having bounced checks. Women who have unintentionally become involved in financial issues and, like any other citizen, have been forced to accept financial responsibilities and issue or cash checks, but due to the unstable economic situation, they have been unable to handle these responsibilities and have been forced to go to prison. Many of these women, due to lack of sufficient social support in the country and usually not having a man in their lives, are forced to commit various crimes to provide for their families, especially their children. Many of these women, due to difficult social conditions and managing their families, are
These cases – from political crimes to non-political ones – are all a result of the strong presence of women in society; although the rate of women’s delinquency compared to men’s in society is much lower, it should still be considered a result of their presence in all social spheres.
Until now, when men were sent to prison, they were happy that the shadow of their wives was still over their families, and for this reason, the foundation of the family remained intact. In the male-dominated society of Iran, it is still these women who play the role of the main pillar of the home and family. Because of this defining role, a saying has become prevalent in Iranian society: “God, do not leave any homes without a woman.” This proverb is a sign of the great importance of women and their role in the longevity, strength, peace, and progress of the family.
With the beginning of the arrest and imprisonment of women, the first signs of the destructive absence of them in families also became apparent, as the men of the household were busy all day trying to make a living (especially in the past when they were usually the sole breadwinners of the family). As a result, the situation of children in the family becomes more and more critical, which has a direct impact on the entire family. The first negative effects of this absence of women, in fact mothers and wives, are on the educational status and academic performance of the children. As a result, the difficult situation of the children or other female relatives such as grandmothers, aunts, or cousins is left to be dealt with, or in some cases, men are forced to remarry, either willingly or against their will, which again has very negative effects on families. Along with educational and disciplinary problems, other major and minor problems such as malnutrition and poor upbringing also plague these families. The
These negative effects, such as imprisonment and absence of women in the family, have also become a major problem in Western countries. For this reason, judges issue lighter sentences for women in specific cases in order to minimize the negative effects on their children and families. It is evident that these negative effects in Iran, due to the important emotional role of women in the family, also produce much more abnormalities compared to Western societies. Therefore, the destructive and devastating effects of women’s presence in prison are much worse than in Western societies.
Even many women are forced to spend their pregnancy in prison and many children are also forced to spend their childhood in prison with their mothers after birth due to lack of proper guardians. It is unsaid that going through this period has very destructive, devastating and irreparable effects on the mentality and upbringing of such children. Even children who have become successful and educated individuals after going through this difficult period still carry these destructive effects with them for years and sometimes are forced to hide their past, and all of these, along with many other issues, stay with them until the end of their lives and cause mental health problems for them.
These problems, difficulties, abnormalities, and hardships are evidence of the very important and influential role of women in Iranian society. Mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters who are imprisoned for a small or large crime, but the negative effects of their absence in the family and society are much more destructive and distressing than the crime they have committed.
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The negative and destructive effects of imprisoning women, especially in societies like Iran, are much greater than what has been mentioned above. It is the duty of journalists and media professionals to report and introduce the problems and issues that arise from imprisoning women, but journalism does not offer a solution to these problems. From this point on, it becomes the prominent duty and role of lawyers, psychologists, and sociologists to find a way out of this problem.
Although the law must be equally enforced for all, in criminal cases, punishments should be based on the individual circumstances of the “criminal” and implemented accordingly, as in some cases – as mentioned – the severity of sentencing and imprisonment may have much more destructive effects than the punishment itself. It is important, especially in regards to women, that this crucial point is recognized and measures are taken to address it in the country’s judicial and legal system, so that both the families of incarcerated women and society as a whole can benefit from it.
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