The IRGC and Gender Oppression: Enforcing Patriarchy Through Fear

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) plays a pivotal role in maintaining the Islamic Republic of Iran’s authoritarian structure, using gender oppression as a primary tool of control. For decades, the IRGC has enforced a patriarchal system designed to suppress women’s rights, limit their social mobility, and maintain the regime’s ideological dominance. Through fear, surveillance, and violence, the IRGC ensures that gender roles remain rigid, denying Iranian women basic freedoms and human rights.

This article explores how the IRGC uses gender oppression to sustain its power, examining:

 • The historical context of gender oppression in Iran.

 • The IRGC’s role in enforcing mandatory hijab laws and gender segregation.

 • The use of fear tactics, including arrests, torture, and surveillance.

 • The resilience of Iranian women and how they continue to resist.

 • The role of the international community in supporting women’s rights in Iran.

1. Historical Context: Gender Oppression in Post-Revolutionary Iran

A. The 1979 Islamic Revolution and the Rise of the IRGC

Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran’s new leadership sought to transform the country into an Islamic Republic, governed by Sharia law. The newly established IRGC became the regime’s main tool to protect this ideological vision, which included:

 • Restricting women’s rights in education, employment, and public life.

 • Enforcing compulsory hijab laws, making it illegal for women to appear in public without proper Islamic dress.

 • Introducing gender segregation in workplaces, schools, and public transportation.

The IRGC assumed a multifaceted role, operating as a military force, intelligence agency, and guardian of Islamic values. Central to its mission was the control of women’s bodies and behavior, using the threat of violence to enforce compliance.

B. Institutionalizing Patriarchy

The Islamic Republic implemented a legal framework that made gender inequality a cornerstone of governance. The IRGC ensured the enforcement of laws that:

 • Reduced the legal age of marriage for girls to 13.

 • Limited women’s rights in divorce, child custody, and inheritance.

 • Banned women from serving as judges or running for the presidency.

Through these measures, patriarchy became state policy, with the IRGC acting as the chief enforcer.

2. Enforcing Patriarchy: The IRGC’s Gender Oppression Mechanisms

A. Mandatory Hijab and Public Surveillance

One of the most visible symbols of gender oppression in Iran is the compulsory hijab. The IRGC, alongside the morality police (Gasht-e Ershad), strictly enforces these dress codes.

Key Methods of Enforcement:

 • Street patrols: Women are stopped, interrogated, and arrested for improper veiling.

 • Digital surveillance: The IRGC uses facial recognition technology in public spaces and on social media to identify women who violate dress codes.

 • Punitive measures: Violations can result in fines, imprisonment, or lashes.

The hijab mandate is not just about clothing—it is a tool of control, designed to regulate women’s presence in public life and remind them of their subordinate position in society.

B. Gender Segregation and Social Control

The IRGC enforces gender segregation in many areas of public life, including:

 • Universities and schools, where men and women are separated in classes.

 • Sports events, where women are banned from attending men’s matches.

 • Public transport, where separate seating is enforced.

This segregation reinforces patriarchal norms, portraying women as inherently inferior and in need of protection from the male gaze, thus limiting their social and professional opportunities.

C. Suppression of Women’s Movements

Whenever women mobilize to demand their rights, the IRGC responds with force. Major crackdowns include:

 • The 2009 Green Movement, where women played key roles and were met with arrests and violence.

• The 2017-2019 protests, where women who removed their hijabs in public—known as the “Girls of Revolution Street”—were arrested and beaten.

 • The 2022 Mahsa Amini protests, sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested by the morality police for alleged hijab violations.

The IRGC’s brutal response to these movements demonstrates the regime’s fear of women’s collective power and the potential for gender equality to challenge its authority.

3. Tactics of Fear: How the IRGC Enforces Gender Oppression

A. Arbitrary Arrests and Imprisonment

The IRGC’s Intelligence Organization frequently targets women journalists, activists, and academics for:

 • Speaking out against hijab laws.

 • Reporting on protests or human rights abuses.

 • Leading campaigns for women’s rights.

These women face:

 • Lengthy prison sentences without fair trials.

 • Detention in Evin Prison and Qarchak Prison, where torture and sexual abuse are common.

 • Solitary confinement, used as a psychological weapon to break resistance.

B. Torture and Sexual Violence

The IRGC uses sexual violence as a method of punishment and control. Reports from former prisoners describe:

 • Physical abuse, including beatings and electrocution.

 • Rape and sexual assault, particularly against women who challenge religious norms.

 • Psychological torture, such as threats of sexual violence against family members.

This violence serves a dual purpose: it punishes dissent and sends a warning to other women about the consequences of defiance.

C. Digital Repression and Cyber Warfare

The IRGC’s Cyber Unit plays a key role in monitoring and suppressing women’s online activities. Their tactics include:

 • Hacking social media accounts of women activists and exposing their personal information.

 • Internet blackouts during protests to prevent women from sharing their stories globally.

 • Spreading disinformation to discredit women-led movements, framing them as foreign conspiracies.

Despite these challenges, Iranian women continue to use digital platforms to organize, share their narratives, and challenge state narratives.

4. Women’s Resistance: Defying Fear and Control

A. Everyday Acts of Defiance

Resistance does not always take the form of mass protests. For Iranian women, everyday acts are powerful forms of rebellion:

 • Removing the hijab in public spaces.

 • Singing and dancing in public, acts banned under Iranian law.

 • Entering stadiums to watch sporting events, defying restrictions.

These seemingly small acts represent a refusal to accept control, challenging the regime’s patriarchal ideology.

B. Prominent Voices of Resistance

1. Masih Alinejad

An exiled journalist and activist, Alinejad founded the #MyStealthyFreedom campaign, encouraging Iranian women to share images without the hijab. Her work has:

 • Exposed the IRGC’s abuses on an international scale.

 • Inspired millions of Iranian women to defy hijab laws.

 • Led to assassination plots against her by the IRGC, highlighting her influence.

2. Narges Mohammadi

A human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Mohammadi has spent years in IRGC-run prisons for:

 • Campaigning against the death penalty and gender oppression.

 • Documenting abuses against women in Iranian prisons.

 • Continuing her activism from behind bars, becoming a global symbol of resilience.

3. Nasrin Sotoudeh

A human rights lawyer, Sotoudeh has been sentenced to decades in prison for:

 • Defending women prosecuted for hijab violations.

 • Advocating for freedom of expression and human rights.

 • Refusing to comply with gender segregation laws in court.

Her courageous resistance underscores the central role of women in challenging the regime’s oppressive structures.

5. Global Solidarity: Supporting Iranian Women’s Fight for Freedom

A. The Importance of International Support

Iranian women’s fight for freedom is part of a global struggle for human rights. The international community can:

 • Amplify Iranian women’s voices through media coverage.

 • Sanction IRGC leaders responsible for gender oppression.

• Provide secure digital platforms for Iranian women to communicate safely.

B. Policy Recommendations

 1. Global Designation of the IRGC as a Terrorist Organization:

 • The United States has designated the IRGC as a terrorist organization due to its involvement in terrorism and human rights abuses.

 • The European Union, United Kingdom, and other democratic nations should follow suit to isolate the IRGC further and cut off its financial networks.

 2. Targeted Sanctions:

 • Impose travel bans and asset freezes on IRGC commanders involved in the repression of women.

 • Sanction tech companies that provide surveillance tools to the Iranian regime.

 3. Digital Support:

 • Provide VPNs and encryption tools to protect Iranian women from digital surveillance.

 • Support satellite internet services to bypass state-imposed internet blackouts.

C. Supporting Activists and Refugees

 • Asylum programs for Iranian women fleeing persecution.

 • Legal support for imprisoned women activists through international human rights organizations.

 • Funding NGOs working on the ground in Iran to provide healthcare, education, and legal aid to women.

 Conclusion: A Future Beyond Fear

The IRGC’s enforcement of patriarchy through fear, violence, and control is designed to suppress not only women’s rights but the aspirations of an entire nation. Yet, despite the threats, arrests, and torture, Iranian women continue to resist.

Their defiance, from small everyday rebellions to leading nationwide protests, is a testament to the unbreakable spirit of resistance. The “Women, Life, Freedom” movement has proven that gender equality is central to Iran’s path to freedom and democracy.