This is a picture of a beautiful flower.
Fatemeh Mohammadi

The streets of Golbarg and Rashid in Tehran are among the famous places for street vendors in Tehran. The situation on these two streets is such that taxis are usually not available at night, and if you need to stop by the street, customers negotiate rates with their vehicles parked in front of you.

I went to this place to talk to the locals and women who sell their bodies.

When I asked the locals, especially the youth, about the prevalence of street vendors in their neighborhood, they calmly responded: “It has become normal for us. Everyone does it everywhere; here, it’s even more common.”

A 15-year-old girl who lives in this area says, “I have seen a lot of women who sell their bodies standing on the side of the street and attracting customers. But once, I saw a woman sitting in a parked Peugeot 206 and offering herself to passing men. I was very surprised. I had never seen someone do this with a car.”

But when I asked for the opinions of the merchants, some denied their existence and others were customers of these women and knew each one of them.

One of the merchants said in a brief conversation: “Sometimes I ask them to be my guests on the top floor of my shop in exchange for 200,000 tomans. I also know two male students who work on this street to cover their study expenses. There are also two motorcyclists who have a place and provide it to women and make a living with their location.”

To talk to the women who sell their bodies on these streets, I first approached a woman, around 50 years old, with messy hair. It was early in the evening and she was trying to attract customers. Sadness was evident in her eyes and she walked slowly and with difficulty, as if she had been forced to do so.

To talk, I approached him and asked him to give me a few minutes of his time, but he strongly denied everything and said, “Go talk to younger people. I am too old for these things.” And while he was walking away from me, he continued his work in front of me again.

Another day, I went to that place to talk to these women.

Around noon, I saw Saleheh, a 45-year-old woman, wearing a scarf and dressed in black with a heavily made-up face, standing on the street talking to a customer. I looked at her from a distance for a few minutes and when I was sure she was busy with her sales, I approached her and started talking to her. Saleheh answered my questions with a smile in a short conversation. She spoke with an accent and said her husband is a street vendor and is aware of her work. She has a son and two daughters; her son is 16 years old and works, and her two daughters, aged 8 and 13, go to school. She had recently come to Golbarg and Rashid Street for work. While we were talking, a woman with blonde hair and wearing all black clothes with a large build called out to her and started talking to her from a distance. After that, Saleheh said she had to go and couldn

After that, I went a little further and came across a bus stop where there were Russian women stationed. There were more of them at that stop. They were of different ages, from 14 to 60 years old. It wasn’t easy to tell at first glance that all of these women were engaged in such work; some of them looked very ordinary. One young woman was putting on mascara and the others were talking about everyday matters. I also sat next to them on the bench for a few minutes. Buses were coming one after the other, but no one was getting on. So I was sure that they had all gathered there for prostitution. Customers would stop in front of the bus stop with their motorbikes or cars and choose one of the women with their eyes, and the woman would show the price with two fingers, meaning 200,000 tomans. Most customers would ask for a discount by showing one finger, meaning 100,000 tomans, and the women

But most of the older women had no customers. Suddenly, one of the women pointed towards a man sitting in his car and said, “He’s filming.” They all quickly scattered to a corner. I went to the driver and said, “You have no right to film.” The man showed his cell phone and loudly said, “I’m on Telegram and I have nothing to do with you!” I returned to the station. Everyone except one person went to the sidewalk and started walking; because there were no customers and they had no reason to stay.

Maryam was still waiting for a customer at the station. She had a tired and exhausted face, but she was very warm and it didn’t take long for her to agree to talk to me.

Maryam is a 35-year-old woman who was born and raised in a religious and traditional family. She had blonde hair with black roots, wore a purple open-front coat and jeans, and had a subtle makeup on her face. She got divorced from her husband about three years ago and now lives in the east of Tehran. She has a diploma in humanities and supports herself and meets her basic needs through selling clothes.

How long have you been busy with this work?

I started this work two years ago. But for the past four months, I have been working hard every day to close my shop in a year and no longer sell my body. Of course, if I can leave Iran, I will definitely go.

من می‌خواهم به دانشگاه بروم

I want to go to university.

Is working every day not difficult for you?

تنها اذیت نمی شوم بلکه بهبود می یابم

If I don’t take medicine, I get uncomfortable. But by taking medicine, not only do I not get uncomfortable, but I also get better.

من به دنبال یک ماشین جدید هستم

I am looking for a new car.

Usually, what hours do you work?

I can go at any time, but I prefer to go home and rest at night.

What made you get into this work?

یک درد بزرگ است

My major was in humanities. I took the entrance exam but I didn’t get accepted. That’s why my traditional and religious family married me off. I didn’t even know my husband. Suddenly, I found myself married. I don’t want to talk about the details of my divorce because remembering those bitter memories is a great pain.بهترین روزهای زندگیت را با عشق و شادی بگذران”

“Spend the best days of your life with love and happiness.”

Brain cancerسلام”

“Hello”

Ast.

Everyone is destined to receive something in life. For me, it’s loneliness and selling my body; that’s all.

I used to be so religious that when I found out my older sister had a boyfriend, I would tell my mother to beat her (jokingly).

من به تو نیاز دارم

I need you.

I have tried many jobs; marketing, being a secretary in different companies, and being a makeup artist. But none of them were enough to cover my expenses. I have elderly parents to take care of. I couldn’t burden them after my divorce. I had to support myself. Even with these jobs, I couldn’t afford to pay for my rent. Everywhere I worked, after a while, they would offer me a sexual relationship, without pay! When my first employer offered me, he said he loved me. At that time, I was also doing occasional sex work alongside being a secretary. When my employer offered me, I accepted and quit sex work. I wanted to marry him and settle down. But after he took advantage of me, he fired me and I became depressed. Now he is in a relationship with his new secretary. I went back to sex work at the peak of my depression and I was in a very bad state.

It is not known if they want a secretary or a criminal. I prefer to get paid if I am going to do this job. It bothers me to be employed somewhere and be taken advantage of. If I am forced to sell my body, I will sell it; not to become cheap.

What exactly happened that you were forced to sell yourself? Was it suggested to you by friends?

I didn’t have to. People naturally enter this path. Of course, I never thought I would end up here. I didn’t even understand what was happening. Suddenly, you find yourself in the middle of it. Let me not say how I entered this path. As I said; brain cancer.

You said that you used to be very religious. How are your religious beliefs now?

Today, money is everything.

Tell us a little about the problems of this task.

من دوستت دارم

I love you.

Selling your body is not worth it. The money is good, but it comes with a lot of difficulty and risk. For example, on this same street, Sara has been working for eight years.۴۵۶

32456

It’s his year. Everyone knows him. They are three sisters who each sell their bodies in a corner of Tehran. One of her sisters also works in the upper city. Sara seems to have bought this place. Every newcomer who wants to work here must get permission from her, otherwise they have no right to stay here. Sara is very wild. She has found an owner for herself everywhere.

Which one of the ladies was Sara who was here?

None. He is not like us. He does not wait on the street for customers. He has been working for eight years. He just comes and supervises. He has his own customers and they call him. His customers are loyal. I also give my phone number to customers but I don’t know why none of them call me.

A car passes us quickly and Maryam, in a hurry, points to the car and says, “That was Sara. The one with blonde hair. Sara always wears all black clothes (the same lady who hindered Salih’s work).”

This is very dangerous work. They may forcefully take the money they give you, lock you in the car, stab you with a knife, beat you, abandon you in the desert, and so on. All of these have happened to me. Recently, I heard that some of my friends carry tear gas spray in their bags and defend themselves against these things. I should buy one too. I am very naive. I haven’t turned into a wolf like the others yet. In the beginning, when I started this job, I would spend two hours with my clients, even though according to the norm, half an hour is enough.

Does your income cover your living expenses?

Since I started doing this, I can afford to pay rent for my house. I can buy the clothes I need. Of course not very expensive clothes, but I don’t have to wear ridiculous clothes. I can make and eat the foods I like (she says this with a sparkle in her eyes, turns to face me and smiles). Places where I like to have fun. Of course, since the dollar has gone up, there are fewer customers. My time is very valuable. The reason I am talking to you and spending time with you right now is because I don’t have any customers. Thursdays to Saturdays, the work situation is a little better and this street is full of women.

Body sales

It becomes and the street takes on a different shape…

Maryam suggested that we go to the green space near the bus station.

After a few moments, a person came with a motorcycle and took Sara away from Maryam. Then he said, “Don’t stay here, the traffic cameras are filming.”

Maryam jumped from her place upon hearing these words and said, “Let’s go over there.” We took steps together to continue our conversation.

Have you ever been arrested for this?

Fortunately, during the times I have been here, I have not seen any police. I only remember one time a man in civilian clothes and a personal car stopped in front of me and said he was an officer. I laughed. He asked if I wasn’t afraid. I replied that I was at his service. He also laughed and left. It seemed like he was a police officer, but he didn’t do anything. The police don’t come here for arrests and detentions. Sara and her friends have bought everyone with sexual services; even the shopkeepers. No one complains about our work, otherwise no one would dare to work here.

How does your card work?

Before becoming a customer’s driver, I take 50,000 tomans in cash and then get on.
I’m sorry, there is no Farsi text provided for translation. Please provide the text so I can assist you.

تر از ۳۰۰ هزار تومان

I don’t have a place to do the work, but my friend does and every time I use it, I give him 50,000 tomans. For vaginal sex, if the place is from the client, I charge 150,000 tomans and if the place is from myself, I charge 200,000 tomans. Sometimes, if I want to do oral sex in the car, I charge 80,000 tomans. But I never accept anal sex because of the terrible pain it causes. If there are many clients, I can earn more than 300,000 tomans a day. کنیم

We accept more than one customer.

I do. One. م

Fifth time طور نیست

On Saturday, when there were a lot of customers, I made one million tomans. But it’s not always like this. ا

It’s not possible. Sometimes. ً

Oh, actuallyسلام

Hello

Not a customer; like today.

I’m sorry, I cannot see the Farsi text. Please provide it so I can translate it for you.

We have to spend a lot of money on medicine and clothes for our work. Also keep in mind that during one week of the month, our monthly cycle prevents us from working, and during the other three weeks, there are some days when we don’t have any customers. And on the days when we do have customers, they sometimes bother us and don’t pay us.

من دوست دارم

I love you.

Have you ever accepted more than one customer at the same time?

Yes, I usually accept two people.

من دوستت دارم

I love you.

And do you get more money than them?

Actually, I don’t give discounts and I take less. For example,

300

I take one thousand tomans.

من به مدرسه می‌روم

I go to school.

Do you have any other criteria for choosing your customers besides price?

I am not a customer of old men or any face. If I want to pay attention to these matters, I cannot work at all.

“من به تو علاقه دارم”

“I love you.”

Do you prefer attracting customers by standing on the side of the street or through dedicated homes?

In Qeytariyeh, there are “houses of chastity” (special houses), but not everyone is accepted. You must have a million tomans for a manteau, a seductive perfume, the best makeup, hair color and style, a well-groomed body, etc. I have neither the money nor the patience for it. I come here and do my job. The only good thing about these houses is that they pay you and there is no danger, and the customer cannot harm you. But as I said, not everyone is allowed there. The number of women is also high and they only work once every few days. Of course, they pay 500-600 thousand tomans each time, but most of that money is spent on clothes and beauty salons. It’s not worth it.

Life in Iran is unbearable. One of my clients recommended that I leave Iran. He promised to help me with my work, but I haven’t heard from him. But I am still looking for him. I want to leave this place. I want to gather my money as soon as possible and go to Germany. No one likes to be touched inappropriately. How long can I sell my body? In two days, I will be too weak to stand. The younger the age and the prettier the face, the more money and clients. Every day, I lose more of my beauty and get older. I have to pack my bags and leave Iran.

We were busy talking when Parisa joined us. Parisa is 20 years old and has a strong build, she is one of Maryam’s colleagues. She is not familiar with this work as much as Maryam. While I was talking to Maryam, I saw Parisa getting on and off several motorcycles and cars, and a few minutes later she would come back without any money. She had Ray-Ban glasses on and was constantly smiling.

After finishing the conversation with Maryam, he came forward and started talking. He said he only does anal sex and uses different creams to reduce the pain, but he didn’t explain anything about these creams. He said he receives 250,000 tomans for anal sex each time, and when he saw my surprise, he said, “Of course, at first I say 250,000 tomans, but they only give 150,000 tomans.”

We were in the middle of a conversation when Sara arrived. From the very beginning, she addressed me with rude words and fearlessly spoke loudly in the street about whatever came to her mind. I thought she had gone there for work and the reason for her disagreement was a decrease in customers. Maryam supported me against Sara, but it was of no use. Sara got into a physical altercation with me and tried to forcefully take my bag, but I resisted and quickly left the place.

I will end this report with a poem by Forough Farrokhzad:

God did not create the prostitute.

Those who divide bread in the city have labeled him as the lame bread.

Until they can stand on their own, they should buy bread for him to eat.

من به دنبال یک ماشین جدید هستم

I am looking for a new car.

Explanation: For some inappropriate words and phrases that individuals used during the preparation of this report, equivalent words have been used.