Online Aggression against Women in Iran

Abstract

This paper used qualitative methods to explore the depth and breadth of online aggression against women in Iran by studying the explanations of female activists to that aggression. I interviewed 10 women through Smartphone-based discussion groups. Our analysis reveals that two forms of online aggression: unwanted sexual content and unwanted sexual attention; are problematic for Iranian women. These online aggressions were explained by the activists in terms of economic, social, political, or cultural problems with society that made online aggression against women more prevalent. These findings suggest that, despite the cultural and political differences in the position and rights of women in Iran and in western societies, that the perceptions of online aggression by a sample of Iranian women who are active on women's issues, are very similar to those adopted in Western feminist analyses.