Roghayyeh, 27 leaning against a wooden pole and absorbed in her thoughts is reflected in a mirror on the mud wall. By losing her virginity she also lost hope for her future. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
Roghayyeh, 27 is standing on the roof of the house at sunset watching the shepherds returning. A white dog is seen in front of Ali’s home, the man who raped her. Ali is serving a prison sentence awaiting to be publicly executed. In Iran the punishment for sexual offenders is the death penalty, but women remain extremely vulnerable in a rape case as the harsh punishment does not solve the problems the victim will face within society. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
Roghayyeh, 27 is seen hugging her knees in grief in a corner while her sisters-in-law Azar, 23 and Ameneh, 33 are talking to each other. Her brother Sayyad, 38 is weaving a carpet and her niece and nephew are playing. She always avoid eye contact with her brothers to protect herself from their insulting language. They consider her a sinner.Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
Roghayyeh’s brother family in their living room. From left to right: Hasan 10, Aboulfazl 2, Robab 12, Sayyad, 38, Ameneh, 33 and the twin Hosein, 10. They are the most sensible and normal within her extended family. Yet no one cares about Roghayyeh. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
The courtyard outside the house. Roghayyeh, 27 spends her days as a recluse ignored by her own family, doing chores and looking after her young nephews. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
A portrait of Roghayyeh worming up under the Korsi, a table covered with a quilt under which a stove is placed for heating the legs in winter. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran.
Members of the family gather around the stove to solve an awkward situation that emerged after the death of Roghayyeh's brother Sayyad. His widow Ameneh, 35 asked to marry one of the other brothers so that according to the local culture she would remain in the family and be looked after. Every male in the family, being already married refused her proposal to become their second wife with also all the women in the room being totally against the idea. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2017
Roghayyeh, 26 and Azar, 22 below a large rock in the landscape that resembles a couple. A legend tells of a young girl who proposed to a boy and as they hugged each other, being unrelated, villagers believe that God turned them into stone. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran 2014
Roghayyeh, 28 in the room where she usually sleeps, stands alone below family photos. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2016
Roghayyeh, 27 and her niece Robab, 13 are seen in a field near the village. Roghayyeh is always accompanied by a relative as her family doesn’t allow her to go out on her own. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
Roghayyeh, 27 is holding a temporary marriage certificate. A suitor from a nearby village proposed to Roghayyeh. Arrangements between families were made and the couple were engaged. Antenuptial agreements were entered into an endeavor to settle issues of support but as the suitor would not agree on a dowry and as he was also found to be a drug addict, the local Mullah advised Roghayyeh to refuse the marriage. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
The courtyard outside the house. Roghayyeh, 27 and the other women in the family are making provisions for the coming winter months. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
The courtyard outside Roghayyeh’s house. Roghayyeh, 27 and the other women in the family are preparing wheat noodles for the coming winter months. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran.
Gazing in the mirror, Roghayyeh, 27 cares for her appearance. She feels time ticking away but she is still hopeful to receive marriage proposals. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
Roghayyeh, 27 and her parents are leaving the East Azerbaijan Judiciary soon after the court declared the punishment for Roghayyeh's perpetrator. According to the Islamic Panel Code the court condemned Ali to death by hanging and to the payment of 2 percent of blood money (2% of $231,000) plus the equivalent of a woman's dowry that equals to $200,000 for taking Roghayyeh's virginity. Tabriz, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
A page from the court proceedings’ document describing the sentence verdict. The Islamic Panel Code condemns Ali to death by hanging and to the payment of 2 percent of blood money (2% of $231,000) plus the equivalent of a woman's dowry that equals to $200,000 for taking Roghayyeh's virginity. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2016
Roghayyeh, 27 is seen adjusting her chador after collecting herbs in the fields on the outskirts of , Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
Roghayyeh, 27 is seen washing her hands in a water stream with other women coming back from the fields after a day’s work. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
Roghayyeh, 28 and her in-law sister Azar, 24 riding through the village on their way back home after collecting milk from the shepherds. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2016
Women of the extended family sharing food during a ceremony in the local cemetery to commemorate the death of Roghayyeh’s brother, Sayyad, a year after he passed away. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2016
Daily chores. Roghayyeh, 28 and her Mother, Fatemeh, 62 are collecting dry animal dung that is used as fuel for making food. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2016
Roghayyeh, 27 walking along a country road on the fringes of Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
A view of Harghalan at sunset seen from the roof of Roghayyeh's house. In a village with a population of about 3500 and an economy based on agriculture, most people know each other and gossips tend to spread fast. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2015
Roghayyeh, 28 and her husband Teymour, 18 are posing in front of a large rock that resembles a couple. A legend tells of a young girl who proposed to a boy and as they hugged each other, being unrelated, villagers believe that God turned them into stone. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2016
Roghayyeh, 30 is seen in the main square of the village collecting spring water as the supply system was shut down for repairs. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2017
An intimate moment between Roghayyeh,29 and Teymour, 19 two month after their engagement. Things are finally looking up for the two of them with plans for the wedding and the purchase of a new home that will be paid with the compensation that Roghayyeh received by order of the court. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2016
Roghayyeh, 30 and one of the villagers are washing crockery and cutlery in the only fountain in the village where animals also drink. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2017
After three weeks herding sheep in the mountains Teymour, 20 is back home for a few days' rest. They are preparing for the night in the village's home. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2017
After three weeks herding sheep in the mountains Teymour, 19 is back home for a few days' rest. In her seventh month of pregnancy Roghayyeh and her husband are discussing plans to move to their new home. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2017
Roghayyeh, 30 during her eight month of pregnancy is portrayed in the village's family home. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2017
Roghayyeh, 29 is seen wiping the moisture from the window on a cold winter's evening. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2017
Roghayyeh, 29 in her eight month of pregnancy is portrayed in her older sister Golzar’s house, who is reflected in the window while holding her grandson. Roghayyeh's niece, Zahra, 27 and her son are on the right. Zahra and her boyfriend from a nearby city, run away and married without her father’s consent, but after she became pregnant she was sent back to her family's home. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2017
Women visiting the village cemetery soon after men relatives paid homage to Roghayyeh's father, 40 days after he passed away. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2018
Roghayyeh, 29 and her husband Teymour, 19 during tea time on a winter's day in the courtyard outside the house while their nephews keep warm playing football. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran 2017
Roghayyeh, 29 standing at the entrance of the courtyard of her house awaiting her nephew returning from herding the sheep. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2017
Roghayyeh, 29 during her forth month of her first pregnancy that unfortunately ended soon after with a miscarriage is talking to Teymour on the roof of the house overlooking the village below and the snowcapped mountains. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2017
Roghayyeh, 27 in the village's home is preparing provisions to take to the shepherds who are herding sheep in the remote pastures of the region. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan. Iran. 2015
Although Roghayyeh, 30 after her misfortune was confined for a number of years to spend her days as a recluse, ignored by her own family, doing chores and to look after the children in the family, her sisters in law are now giving parenting advice to the new mother. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan. Iran. 2017
Roghayyeh, 29 and her family in their new home which was bought with the compensation money she received from the family of the offender by order of the court. Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan, Iran. 2017
A night view of Roghayyeh's village, Ajabshir, East Azerbaijan. Iran.2017
In Iran, the punishment for sexual offenders is the death penalty, but women remain extremely vulnerable in a rape case as the harsh punishment does not solve the problems the victim will face within society.
Roghayyeh was raped in her 20's by her neighbour's nephew. Ali was eventually arrested and is serving a prison sentence, awaiting to be publicly executed but Roghayyeh lost her virginity and hope for the future. Iranian society, particularly the legal system, perceives the virginity of an unmarried woman as a signifier of her chastity and for Roghayyeh, losing her virginity outside marriage was perceived as a colossal disaster for both her and her family. Not only it ruined her marriage prospects, but it had an impact on her honour and her father's honour. Her brothers also avoided her and considered her a sinner. There is a large rock in the landscape that resembles a couple. A legend tells of a young girl who proposed to a boy and as they hugged each other, being unrelated, villagers believe that God turned them into stone.
In such a closed and fearful culture, women in small villages marry in their adolescence, and Roghayyeh in the rural province of East Azerbaijan was already considered a spinster, spending her days as a recluse, ignored by her own family, doing chores and looking after her young nephews.
She wasn't Ali's only victim, yet in such a narrow-minded society she was inevitably doomed and would have been forced to marry an old man or a widower. In an unanticipated change in a sequence of events that turned her fortune, she met Teymour, a man ten years younger, and with the compensation that Roghayyeh received by order of the court, a very large amount paid by the family of the offender, they were able to buy a house in a nearby town and start a new family.