From Translation to Adaptation: Evaluating the Effects of Localizing Sexual Victimization Monitoring Tools in the Iranian Cultural Context

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of localizing the instruments and procedures used to monitor women's sexual victimization on the quality of data collected in a culturally and religiously conservative society such as Iran. This experimental research involved administering two standardized questionnaires—translated from international sources and culturally localized—to two groups of women from a university in the city of Rasht. Each group consisted of 50 participants, matched based on demographic characteristics. The analysis revealed that the localized version, through the use of terminology aligned with local norms and beliefs, the omission of sensitive or ambiguous concepts, and adherence to the community's value frameworks, sometimes led to increased disclosure of victimization experiences. In addition, qualitative interviews with victimized women highlighted the role of factors such as modesty, self-censorship, fear of judgment, and concern for family honor in shaping how participants responded to the questions. This article demonstrates that localizing assessment tools is not only a methodological necessity but also a cultural prerequisite for generating valid data on sexual victimization in societies like Iran, where internationally developed victimization monitoring surveys are typically based on frameworks from leading, predominantly Western, countries.