The safe house is one of the windows of hope for the protection of women’s lives and souls. In underdeveloped countries, violence against women is often more prevalent due to the traditional structure of society. When the traditional structure of society, law, and family do not fulfill their duty to support women who have been exposed to violence, there is no other way for these women to seek refuge than in a safe house. These women are usually at risk of suicide, murder, forced marriage, physical, mental, and sexual violence. These cases make the existence of a safe house essential for them. Statistics show that in many countries, there has been an increase in domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, which makes the need for safe houses for women even more crucial.

Safe houses for women are not just a discovery of modern society or Europe alone. In the past, this was done by monasteries. In feudal Japan, there were houses called “Kakekomi-dera” where women who were subjected to domestic violence lived with their children. New safe houses were established in developed countries from the 1960s onwards. The first Global Conference on Women’s Shelters was held in Canada in 2008, and subsequently the Global Network of Women’s Shelters was established. The second Global Conference on Women’s Shelters was held in February 2012.

Safe houses in Iran were established after 1393. Before 93, all women who had no place to stay for various social and family reasons and were in danger, were housed together in welfare centers; meaning that domestically abused women were living alongside vulnerable and homeless women. In 1393, the welfare organization decided to separate the housing center for these two groups and launched safe houses for women at risk of domestic violence. Since mothers often leave their homes with their children to escape domestic violence, these mothers and their children were housed with other vulnerable groups of women, which brought about many problems. Therefore, it was necessary to separate the different vulnerable groups. From a welfare perspective, a safe house is different from a shelter or dormitory and is exactly like a regular home. In recent years, the poverty rate in Iran has doubled and domestic violence has increased by seventy-seven percent in rural areas. This is why the need for safe houses has increased.

According to the Deputy of Social Affairs of the Welfare Organization, the existence of several safe houses is not sufficient for major cities such as Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan. The Welfare Organization of Iran has one hundred and five safe houses for five hundred and twenty-five abused women. There are close to twenty-seven safe house centers in Iran, each with a capacity of five people. According to the Welfare Organization, there are eight government centers and nineteen non-governmental and charity centers.

Safe houses are usually kept hidden, according to the Deputy of the Welfare Organization. “Safe houses have no name or address, and in any case, the police also support the security of these houses. The way to contact safe houses is through the number 123; if you call the 123 system, the experts stationed there will guide these women to reach the safe houses themselves, or the emergency vehicles will follow them and guide them to the social emergency centers, and ultimately in the social emergency centers, these women will be guided to safe houses.”

“این عکس یک منظره زیبا از کوهستان است که در آن آسمان آبی و ابرهای سفید پر از نور قرار دارند.”

“This photo is a beautiful landscape of a mountain where the blue sky and white clouds full of light are present.”
Maryam Hosseini – Photo of the Peace Line

In continuation of the report, we had a conversation with Maryam Hosseini, a lawyer and women’s rights activist who has previously conducted research on safe houses for women. We asked her questions about these safe houses.

Is there a difference between a safe house in Iran and other countries?

With a comparative glance, it can be said that the appearance of safe houses in Iran is very similar to other countries, but safe houses in each country are built based on their underlying structure, and their management is different according to the customs, ethics, judicial and legal processes of each country. Safe houses around the world are built based on a specific title, structure, and goal, which later differentiates the social, customary, and legal structures of women and their laws. Furthermore, if there are any differences between safe houses in Iran and other countries, it is due to the responsible institutions that manage safe houses in Iran and the supervising institutions in other countries.

How can women visit safe houses in Iran?

Safe houses in Iran and other countries are provided in a way that the violent person should not have access to these houses; also, the address and details of these houses are not disclosed; only a limited number of responsible individuals are aware of the addresses; therefore, the procedure for accessing these houses is that any woman who has experienced violence and has no remaining security for herself or her children, physically, mentally or emotionally, can seek refuge in safe houses; although there is serious attention to the issue of children’s welfare, we need more safe houses for women who have experienced violence. There are two ways to access safe houses; the first method is the number 123 for social emergencies. This number is for the Welfare Organization, which in this case guides or transfers the woman who has experienced violence to safe houses. The second method is to contact the number 110, in which case the police force must intervene and transfer the person who has experienced violence – whether by family members or by non-family members –

What legal, counseling, and professional services are provided to women who visit safe houses?

The function of safe houses can be considered as providing psychological and counseling services, legal services, and economic empowerment for women. If a woman or girl visits a safe house and needs legal services, she will be supported. For example, if she has been subjected to abuse or harassment by her spouse or family and intends to pursue the matter through legal channels, she can seek help from the lawyers at the safe house. Additionally, these centers have educational programs in place for these women to learn money-making skills. Other programs offered by these centers include providing counseling services to women who have been in difficult psychological situations, either by providing them with psychological support or referring them to more specialized centers.

How effective have safe houses been in improving the situation of women?

Given their short establishment time, economic pressure, the presence of the COVID-19 pandemic, etc., it cannot be definitively determined how effective safe houses are in reducing violence against women. Additionally, in some areas, safe houses do not exist at all, and the total number of safe houses is very low compared to the population, meaning that for every two million women, there is only one safe house available for nine women who have experienced violence. This is a very small number considering the volume of violence, but in any case, the creation of these safe houses is a positive step towards improving the situation for women. The existence of safe houses will first and foremost ensure the safety of women and their children who are at risk. Safe houses also help identify perpetrators of violence and provide psychological and counseling services for them. Ultimately, if the possibility of improving the situation in the couple’s shared life arises and peace and tranquility can be established among individuals, they can continue their lives together. However, if

What are the deficiencies and problems of a safe house in Iran?

In the section that is directly under the supervision of the Welfare Organization, it is evident that a very small budget is allocated to these homes. Due to this limited budget, not only is the number of safe homes not increasing, but it is actually decreasing. As a result, it is necessary for these homes to receive more financial assistance. There is a direct correlation between the allocated budget and the services provided in these homes. In private centers, it is essential for the government to provide financial support.

Thank you for the opportunity you have given us to use the peace line.

Notes:

1- The number of safe houses increases to thirty in Sibab, IRNA, August 22, 2017.

2- Where is the safe house for Iranian women? Behzisti, 26 Azar 1399.

3- The Iranian Welfare Organization has a safe house for 135 women who have experienced violence, BBC Persian, 30 Tir 1400.

4- History and origin of women’s refuge, UN website (Women’s Institution), September 14, 2012.