Gendered violence and epistemic injustice in Iran: women’s civic aspirations for justice

This article explores Iranian women’s perspectives on eliminating violence against women (VAW), with a particular focus on how they challenge the structural and epistemic injustices that underpin such violence. The study draws on a qualitative, purposive voluntary sample via an anonymous Instagram survey, chosen for its accessibility and reach among women and girls in Iran. A total of 453 respondents aged 16–59 answered the open-ended question, “Write your views and suggestions regarding violence against women and how to eliminate it,” and their responses were thematically analysed. While this method enabled wide participation, it also introduced likely sampling bias towards internet users—particularly younger, urban, and tech-savvy participants. Participants identified a wide range of violence, including emotional, physical, sexual, coercive control, and street harassment. However, the most prominent themes that emerged were the need for raising awareness, among both women and men, about what constitutes violence, and the demand for comprehensive legal reforms to address and prevent VAW. Many responses indicated a desire to reshape cultural and religious norms that have historically contributed to women’s marginalisation. The study draws on the concept of epistemic injustice, particularly Miranda Fricker’s distinction between testimonial and hermeneutical injustice. The participants’ narratives highlighted how women’s experiences of violence are frequently dismissed, minimised, or rendered unintelligible in dominant public discourses, examples of both testimonial injustice (being disbelieved or discredited) and hermeneutical injustice (lacking the interpretive resources to make sense of their experiences). By articulating their understandings of violence and proposing solutions, these women actively resisted such injustice and asserted themselves as credible knowers. Overall, respondents acknowledged the intersecting structural, cultural and religious norms that perpetuate VAW in Iran. Yet their responses were not solely diagnostic; they were also future-oriented and hopeful. They strongly believed that education, awareness-raising and legal reforms are catalysts for change. Women emphasised the right to be heard and valued as credible sources on their views on VAW and perceived themselves as active participants in overcoming barriers that have historically silenced them.