Let's just say it's not uncommon for the woman to be treated as the servant.
In many families all the women huttle together to make the food and when the man or men of the family are satisfied with their meal they may are may not allow the woman or women to eat and if they are allowed they must not dine with or in the same room as the man.
My father ate and slept in his own room and had his own wing in the house. We only dined together as a family for birthdays and holidays - it was dreadful to watch them try and interact without killing each other.
LOL - my own father told me not to date a Persian man and he is one.