09 January 2020 :

The age of sex workers in Iran reached 12-year-olds. This is a distressing tragedy that has been published in the Iranian state media. Shahin Shams Mohammadi, a women’s rights activist, discussed the drop in the age of sex workers in Iran and said, “Unfortunately, we sometimes find girls who are compelled into these situations at a very young age, about 12 years of age” (The state-run salamatnews.ir – December 29, 2019). According to the State Welfare Organization of Iran, 50% of Iranian sex workers are married women who turn to such work because of economic problems. Prostitution or sex work is a form of sexual harassment that women would not voluntarily submit to but turn to in order to provide their economical requirements. The most important factor that has increased this social harm is the increasing poverty. The rise of poverty and discrimination against women in the field of employment and recruitment has forced them to face this issue. By creating inflation, unemployment, and poverty, the society ruled by the mullahs has made the conditions for women with no guardians or bad guardians, turn to prostitution because they are unable to provide for themselves and their children. As a result, the number of sex workers also increases. Women who enter the prostitution market are exposed to harms such as AIDS, drugs and violence. Soraya, a homeless woman in southern Tehran, due to hunger, went into a dark grave and gave herself up to three men for a falafel sandwich. After that night, she sees nightmares and cries. Soraya is just one example of homeless women who have a similar fate. (The state-run ROKNA News Agency – December 17, 2019). In Mahshahr, prostitution has become a requirement for many women in order to continue living. (The state-run ROKNA News Agency – December 9, 2019). A cafe in Abadan, sells young girls to Arab men for $100 a night. (The state-run ROKNA News Agency – December 16, 2019)