They may be beaten for violations of these rules. In private and family matters, Islamic law puts them at a disadvantage. Although it is easy for a man to obtain a divorce, a woman can get one only in extreme circumstances, and the husband is given custody of all but the youngest children. Nonetheless, women fill almost all the roles of a modern society. More than half of Iranian university students are women.
Women work, drive, own property, have access to birth control and vote.
This activity is very dangerous. There is always the possibility of an unexpected intrusion by the morals police, perhaps just to extort a bribe, perhaps to arrest the participants. The insecurity is deeply resented. Women also show extraordinary courage in fighting the system. Azam Taleghani, the publisher of the weekly newspaper Payam-e Hajar, is committed to Islam and the revolution but challenges clerical ideas of male supremacy and promotes a more feminist interpretation of the Koran.