Miss Mahbubeh Kuhestani

Arizona State University

Bio

Mahbubeh is a human rights scholar and PhD student in Religious Studies at Arizona State University, specializing in anthropology. Her research and publications examine gender, religion, migration, and technology, with a focus on Iranian immigrant women. She has worked with UNFPA, UNHCR, international humanitarian organizations, and local NGOs on gender-based violence, refugee protection, and women’s rights. She holds a Bachelor of Law, Master’s in Human Rights Law, and MAS in Transitional Justice, and Human Rights.

Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence Among Immigrant Iranian Women: An Intersectional Inquiry

Abstract

This paper examines technology-facilitated gender-based violence among Iranian immigrant women in the United States through an intersectional lens. It explores how digital harassment, sexual violence, political threats, surveillance, and professional boundary violations intersect with gender, religion, migration, and attributed identity. The findings show that digital visibility can enable connection and participation while also creating new forms of exposure. Women’s strategies of reporting, withdrawal, and boundary-setting could provide protection while also constraining participation and belonging.