Written by: Mehrnoosh

Translated by: G. Omidvar

October 22, 2006

Prostitution:

The Sexual Exploitation of Women and the Legal Selling of Sex under the Islamic Republic of Iran

In today’s Iran, prostitution is one of the great social disorders. Prostitution is rampant throughout the country in both hidden and open forms. If prostitution is understood as trading one’s body in exchange for sums of money, or a piece of bread for bare minimum survival, then the existence of several hundred thousand street girls particularly in Tehran, the capital city of Iran, is the clear delineation of this reality. One can see this so-called hidden phenomenon [prostitution] at every street corner, every night. However the practice is openly done in the name of “Concubinage” or temporary marriage! The concubinage [temporary marriage] is propagated by the regime of Islamic republic. It is known to everyone that the main cause of the spread of prostitution is poverty and the main reason for the overwhelming amount of poverty in Iran is the Islamic Republic as the protector of capitalist order in Iran. The reality is that due to the dominant economic order, which is safeguarded by the Islamic Republic and imposed on the nation, the concrete living conditions, particularly for single mothers, has made prostitution the only viable option. Increasingly large number of women have found selling their bodies the only alternative in order to survive and sustain their children... The deterioration of economic and social conditions, increasing poverty, the broadened social gaps, and the daily rise of unemployment naturally has resulted in the expansion of prostitution.

In spite of official propaganda about concubinage; which is legalized prostitution, the regime of Islamic Republic punishes harshly those women who prostitute themselves for survival without official concubinage. The regime of Islamic Republic pretends it is fighting the social disease of prostitution, by punishing these women. The regime’s response to this social malady is arrest, imprisonment, and even stoning these unfortunate women. On the other hand the regime claims a campaign against this complicated social issue by creating the homes of “chastity”, where women legally continue prostituting themselves.

Not too long ago, one of the members of the seventh Iranian Parliament, Fazel Ali, a member of the fundamentalist fraction suggested the need for an organization that could connect and lead all the relevant circles and links to channel the campaign against street women. He has proposed that under the current social conditions, temporary marriage may be the solution for the problem of prostitution. He has proposed the centers of “chastity” as an alternative that could solve some of the social problem of prostitution (ILNA press 26-Day 1384).

One should wonder why these “solutions” of the rulers of the Islamic Republic, presented as alternatives have continuously failed for more than two decades, and why we continue witnessing the daily expansion of prostitution.

In the past and present the people of Iran have looked at the temporary marriage as an immoral and inhumane practice. In 1979, after the criminal regime of the Islamic Republic took over, and the reactionary and religious teachings became dominant, the idea of temporary marriage was also extensively propagated. Furthermore, since the religious doctrine is the law of Iran, temporary marriages have been legalized in Articles 1076, 1075, and 1095 of the civil law.

In order to understand the Islamic Republic’s “solution” to confront prostitution, we shall quote a passages of the book titled “ghoveh Bahe” [Sexual Prowess] that has pointed out the spiritual and social vestiges of temporary marriage, so the reader can comprehend some of the religious principles of this matter and also to portray the inhumane thinking of these capitalist rulers about women.

The book indicates that “temporary marriage has lots of advantages including the completion of one’s faith. Concubinage could be the best solution and most appropriate action in these given instances:

· When the wife is pregnant, sick, or on her menstrual cycle

· If one’s wife is rude or tormenting and the man is not able to rid himself of her because he can not divorce her

· When a man is involved in the process of divorce and still is living with his wife

· The youth that have great sexual desires, yet are restricted from sexual relations for they fear of being labeled as sinners and adulterers.

· When a man loses his wife and his children appose his second marriage.

· In the case of men who are a truck drivers, or men who are always on administrative and or marketing missions.

· For elderly men and middle age and old women that have lost their spouses temporary marriage is appropriate and causes mental and spiritual tranquility.

· In the event that the culture of temporary marriage becomes prevalent in the

society, many of the social pains and problems would be solved and this culture prevents corruption and those practices that negate chastity.

· When a man with financial means neighbors with a woman without a provider, he can become the economic and sexual provider of the hapless women through temporary marriage.

· There are men who are faithful, prayerful, members of the mosque who continually make the pilgrimage to Mecca, and have good financial capabilities. These types of righteous and charitable men by engaging in temporary marriage and accepting the living expenses of women without providers are preventing corruption and poverty in society.

· Temporary marriage fulfills the sentimental needs of man. The man who is a woman lover, never gets enough of kindness and tenderness and affection, Therefore such a man who is attracted to temporary marriage, and since he has seen and experienced other women from different physical and spiritual aspects, hence finds his own wife more decent, and would love his own legal spouse more than all other women..

· The other characteristic of temporary marriage is when, the man can marry a widow, he would not commit adultery with married women and such behavior prevents moral corruption and double adultery. Of course temporary marriage has ordinances that are necessary to be briefly pointed out.

· The temporary marriage must be registered with the notary marrying the couple.

· In temporary marriage there is no limit in numbers of women that the man could marry, the man could get married to thousands of women with the concept of tenants (meaning renting the women).

· In temporary marriage, one condition is a sum of money, monthly equal to forty or fifty thousand Toomans (Tooman is the Iranian currency, 1000 Toomans is roughly equal to 1 Dollar -Translator) or pays an amount for a few days.

· Temporary marriage has two conditions, one is specific amount of money, and the other is specific amount of time.

Abrahim avazeh the editor of the book that is being quoted from said: “if a man gets married temporarily and the marriage time expires and then another man gets married temporarily with the same woman and after him another man gets married to her, if the first man gets married with her again their marriage is HALAL (legitimate -Translator), because this woman is not free but a tenant of the man and is considered as a female slave.

· In temporary marriage, the child belongs to the woman and the man does not have any responsibility for the child.

· The duration of temporary marriage can be any amount of time; One hour, two hours, one day or two days.

· Where Muslim woman can’t be available for temporary marriage the man can temporarily marry a Jewish or Christian or Magian (Zoroastrian) woman.

· Do not engage in temporary marriage with a woman where her community and the people of the community know about her. But if she lives far from her community, there would be no problem in marrying her temporarily.

· In temporary marriage divorce is not needed and the woman is not entitled to inheritance

· Temporary marriage with a woman prostitute, who has not risen flag and nobody knows about her in the community is good, if even she has risen flag it is not important because a HALAL action has been done.

· If a woman has been married temporarily with another man and the time of temporary marriage is not expired and the woman gets married temporarily with another man and the first man realizes that, he does not have to pay her.

· For temporary marriage, no witness is necessary.

· A sufficient amount of money must be paid to the woman in order for the woman to stay with the man during the agreed time.

· Temporary marriage with a virgin girl is abominable if the girl does get hurt.

(The law of Ghoveh Bahe, marital habits, guidance of fourteen Masoom, written by Mohamad Ebrahim Avaazeh (Razavy) member of Venesection Research of Iran, Selsele Publishing, fourth edition Mehr Mahe 1383)

There is no doubt that majority of women who engage in temporary marriage, is because of helplessness and relief from poverty and because of a life full of hardships and indeed because of poverty they participate in such horrible work.

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The social damages that arise from submitting to such degradation are numerous. We will mention a few:

· Even though the act of concubinage is lawful in Iran, but from social perspective and in public opinion it is considered immoral and inhumane, and those who participate in this act, lose their social credibility and respect and the people look at them with contempt.

· Every year because of horrible acts of temporary marriage, many children are born that do not have birth certificate and for a long time or possibly forever shall be without social identity, and civil credibility (Iran press). The children who are born in temporary marriages as indicated in the laws pertaining this issue are deprived from paternal responsibilities since the father does not have any responsibility for the children.

· According to statistics of the Welfare Agency, from fifteen thousand children who are being taking care of by the Welfare organization, 14.3 percent are those who are the products of temporary marriages.

· Another problem is an increase in sexually transmitted diseases including AIDS among women in addition to the issue of abortions that often are performed illegally and secretly.

· Prostitution is an old social phenomenon that has its roots in the economic system. A phenomenon which causes women the most severe exploitation. Human slavery in capitalist societies occurs in variety of ways and marketing the body is one of hundreds of forms of exploitation under the capitalist order. Making a living by prostitution is a practice caused by elements deeply rooted in the economical system. Under today’s repulsive social conditions and increasing poverty of the masses, we are witnessing how women are robbed from their pride and human values increasingly and continuously on a daily basis. These are the women who can not endure unemployment and witness the hunger of their children and deprivation of their family.

In order to destroy the phenomena of prostitution, which is one of the most horrendous and disgraceful forms of exploitation of human by human, the society must be transformed in all of the social and economical structures, and the total demolition of the ruling class, and this can not be achieved by any other means, except the revolution.