"Woman Life Freedom" is written on a poster held by demonstrators marking the death of Jina Mahsa Amini in Iran which unleashed protests throughout Iran and worldwide. Annette Riedl/dpa

People who complain about sexual violence in Iran can expect to face opposition.

That may be why the young woman who decided to file a complaint accusing a celebrity of sexual assault initially preferred to remain anonymous.

The sexual assault case allegedly involves one of the country’s most successful film stars, Pejman Jamshidi.

He was anonymously accused of rape in October and the case dominated headlines, with wide speculation as to who had made the allegation.

The star was temporarily arrested and it was initially unclear what would happen next. Then investigative journalist Elaheh Mohammadi published an interview with the plaintiff and her mother.

In the story, the woman recounts the alleged rape in Jamshidi’s flat. She also says she was offered a large sum of money to withdraw the complaint.

Jamshidi strongly denied the allegations.

The film star then left the country when he was released on bail, citing family reasons.

He later made an emotional statement speaking of "slander" against him and of "lies and fabrications." He said he planned to return to Iran.

Meanwhile for the alleged victim, the response was devastating, with many showing support for the actor. They slammed what they saw as a conspiracy, and character assassination driven by envy.

A young Iranian actress then came forward as the complainant.

"I don’t want any girl or woman’s life to be threatened by similar experiences," actress Melika Parsadust wrote on Instagram, as reported by Iranian media. Parsadust is reported to be 20 years old.

"That’s why I defend my rights to the end - not out of vindictiveness, but so that such behaviour does not become the rule and others are not forced to endure similar things," she wrote.

The case has triggered a nationwide debate about power and sexual violence.

The film world was divided in its response- In private, directors expressed their solidarity with the star. "He’s not entirely innocent," a Tehran filmmaker said, adding he couldn’t imagine him committing rape.

**Iranian society in transition **

The case is a further part of the wider debate unleashed in 2017 by the Harvey Weinstein case. What became the #MeToo movement has challenged structures of power and silence in countries worldwide.

Iran has seen a similar, cautious MeToo movement in recent years, though public handling of sexual violence is marked by taboos, mistrust, silence and legal hurdles.

But life has changed ever since protests rocked the nation. The "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement began three years ago. Those rallies shook Iran, triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini after she was detained for not wearing her head covering properly.

Her death unleashed the strongest wave of protests in Iran for decades.

Ever since, women’s rights have been negotiated more openly, even if reactions remain ambivalent.

A psychologist from Tehran who did not want to give her name, sees a pattern of the past in the way the current case is being handled. "The abusive man is portrayed as if he were the real victim – someone who was brought down by the envy and intrigues of his rivals or by female seduction," she says.

In Iranian society, it is much more common for women to have a "reputation to lose," she says. However, in the wake of the women’s movement, there is much more open discussion of inequality.

"Confronting the shattering of idols is by no means limited to patriarchal societies or countries like Iran," she says. "In truth, smashing these idols destroys the shared world that exists between their followers." His fans describe what they see as character assassination, seeing the actor as the victim of a campaign.

Anxious wait for justice

Only a few celebrities support the plaintiff. One of them is actress Maryam Khodarahmi. "In a misogynistic society, talking about pain is considered a crime," she said in an Instagram story. "Silence," she adds, is the "only safe way."

The state authorities are also drawing a line. Soon after the interview was published, the website of newspaper Hammihan, for which Mohammadi works, was blocked.

It remains unclear when Jamshidi will return to Iran. In the meantime, another Iranian woman living in France has also made allegations against the superstar.

There are no details about a possible trial yet. In extreme cases, Iran’s Islamic law provides for the death penalty for rapists, though victims can forgive the accused if they are convicted.

For now, people await the outcome of the legal proceedings and are watching whether charges will be brought.

Life is changing in Iran, where a woman’s rape accusation of a star actor has split the nation. Monika Skolimowska/dpa