Despite the fact that every year and according to statistics, several cases of acid attacks occur in the country, but the recent chain of acid attacks in Isfahan, which apparently has also spread to Tehran, is unprecedented in terms of the number of cases and the reasons behind them – which are not limited to personal disputes between individuals.

One of the primary factors contributing to acid attacks is the easy access to acid for everyone, which also facilitates violence. But why does violence, especially at this level, spread throughout society and lead to the loss of security for citizens, especially women? Essentially, what path must a society take to witness such blatant violence? In this regard, we asked the opinion of Dr. Shahreh Ghamr Fallah, an urban sociologist…

Mrs. Doctor Falah, until recently, most of the acid attacks that were happening in society had a personal aspect (personal disputes between citizens), but the recent acid attacks in Isfahan seem to have other reasons and in fact, this type of violence has been brought to the surface of society… Do you know the reason for this phenomenon?

I believe the main reason for the acid attacks in Isfahan is the lack of implementation and enforcement of the law in society. Our social psychology has formed in a way that the authority of the law is not established and the laws are not taken seriously. This issue stems from a broader discussion that is reflected in our social behaviors. For example, in our driving, social interactions, and even in court cases and crimes that occur, the law does not play a deterrent role and does not serve as a norm for people to follow. There are several reasons for this. First, our laws are flawed, meaning they are not adjusted to the current conditions and needs of society. Essentially, when a law cannot reduce social harm in a society, it should be changed. Unfortunately, some of our laws have not been updated from the past and have not been adapted to the emerging fields of crime. Furthermore, even when these laws are enforced, they are not always applied consistently. They also do not apply equally

Another issue is that our courts are in such a way that people prefer not to go there, even if the worst injustice has been done to them. People are disappointed with the implementation of the law and they know that they have to spend time, money and energy for years and in the end it is not clear what the result will be. In fact, seeking justice is a torment for them. They prefer to take matters into their own hands and solve them in their own way, or take revenge for the injustice that has been done to them, or just forget about the problem altogether. These actions lead to the creation of crime.

This is a social and immoral harm that is taking place; some people give themselves the right to take revenge and in fact they take matters into their own hands and may even think they will be acquitted in their minds, and the perpetrators will ultimately pass them by approving their actions.

What should we search for as the root of such blatant violence? Does it, as some also emphasize, have any connection to religion and the issue of enjoining good or should we look at the political-cultural structure of society?

See, it is definitely related to the issue of religion and enjoining good. The last part of my statements, which was about the acquittal of the accused by relevant authorities, was exactly related to this connection. Some implicit – not explicit and direct – permissions are given and such a belief that they are enjoining good and a group of officials perceive their actions as approved, arises for these individuals. It is not necessary for everyone to be the executor of the laws and allow themselves to take the place of the judicial system and act. But unfortunately, when the execution of the law is entrusted to individuals, this is the result…

Nowadays, issues such as depression and aggressive behaviors have intensified due to various reasons including failures, loneliness, and the role of media should not be ignored. In such circumstances, the only law can be the restraining factor, but unfortunately, this factor is weak in our country.

I’ll give you an example: When it comes to driving laws, especially in countries where strict laws are enforced for dealing with offenders, people are truly afraid of breaking the law. In fact, the main issue is the rule of law, because in my opinion, if there was no such rule, people would harm each other.

“Doctor, in the midst of acid attacks in Isfahan, there were citizens who only scared women with water spraying for laughter and entertainment. What is your evaluation of such behavior?”

I believe that such behavior has emerged among teenage and young boys, where they release their emotions in this way; in fact, this group has no other place to release their emotions, so they resort to such false behaviors. But we should not consider this as a soft collective behavior or a behavior that is prevalent.

While discussing the root of this issue, it must be noted that it cannot be separated from society. However, these individuals who are not genetically ill, even severe mental patients, if suitable facilities are not provided, they are not only unable to irrigate, but also unable to acidify. In any case, I see the root in politics, urban spaces, and not even cultural factors and individual behaviors…

Given that it seems these events are seriously endangering the social security of citizens, especially women, what solutions do you know for promoting effective social security for women?

Yes, exactly. Society’s security has decreased and fear has arisen among people, especially women. Even now, there is a fear that men who have a spouse, child, or sister may impose additional restrictions on women in some public spaces due to this fear of insecurity. This is happening while women have the right to use all public spaces individually, just like men.

See, the first principle of having a desirable society from a social perspective is having security. This security serves as a criterion to measure the social quality of a society, whether it is desirable or undesirable. Security is also a very important issue, especially for women and youth, and it is possible that these groups may not have any share in the creation of danger and others create danger for them.

One of the ways to achieve desired security is first to formulate and establish proper laws and regulations, and even more importantly, to implement them correctly and appropriately. Third, closely monitoring the implementation, and fourth, educating the people about the laws from a young age. Social laws should be taught in schools and from childhood, and their importance should be fully understood and resolved for the generation that will enter society in the future, so that they can understand how much law enforcement benefits them and improves their lives. As a result of such education, people themselves gradually become observers of their own behavior; they become their own supervisors.

Ultimately, everyone must abide by the laws and not have the authoritative group be above the law, so it is necessary to educate this authoritative group as well.

Thank you for the time you have given to the monthly magazine of the Peace Line.