In the free world, most young ladies believe it is their sovereign right, to choose their own partner. For them the only risk is in making the wrong choice and ending up in a divorce court. Yet for millions of young women throughout the Middle East, Africa and Asia, the right to choose their partner is a highly lethal choice. One that puts the women's lives in danger. For them the simple word 'No' does not enter the equation, as they are thrust into the largely unreported global terror of a forced marriage, imposed upon them by their families, usually for monetary reward. In some cases it has been reported that men are also coerced into forced marriages.
A survey recently reported that 3000 women fall victims to forced marriages in Britain, with little or no rights once married and absolutely no regard for the issue of women's rights.
Pakistan In a recent report it was disclosed that Umrani tribesmen took three girls to a desert to punish them, for daring to attempting to choose their own partners. The girls were then buried alive as a warning to anyone else who might be tempted to try it.
Seized by six men the girls were held at gun point, in an isolated village of Bab Kot. They were then flung into a Land Cruiser jeep, which had a Balochistan government number plate. Taken to a field, the girls were beaten and shot before being finally thrown into a ditch. The girls' mother and aunty protested and attempted to stop the vicious proceedings, but the two older women were thrown into the ditch alongside the girls.Though badly injured, the five females were still breathing and alive when they were buried with mud and rocks, in what their relatives said were 'honour killings'.
The burial places of the victims have not been located and is a well known fact that very few of the perpetrators of these murders are caught, or convicted.
In other areas of Pakistan, it is believed hundreds of women are killed every year by their male relatives, for believing they could make their own decisions. It is reported that 174 women were victims in 2005, 270 in 2006 and 280 in 2007. The number rose to107 in 2008, in just the first five months of the year.
Bangladesh Doctor Held Captive Humayra Abedin, 32 years of age, a British trained doctor, who has had residence in Britain for the past six years, was plunged into captivity by her own family, as they attempted to compel her into a marriage with a total stranger. Humayra returned to Bangladesh when her family reported that her mother was seriously ill. After being rudely grabbed on arrival, Humayra's travel documents and credit cards were taken from her. She was then locked in a room and placed under the watchful eye of four or five guards. Injected with what Humayra described as mood stabilizers and anti-psychotic drugs, she was forced against her will, to go through a marriage ceremony.
Being a resident of Britain, Humayra fell under the jurisdiction of the recently passed Forced Marriage Act. A Bangladesh court sympathetically ruled that Humayra was held against her will and should be permitted to go free. Humayra returned to England, four months after being held captive by her family.
The British High Commission in Dhaka said it has assisted 56 forced marriage cases between April 2007 and March 2008.
Saudi Arabia: In Saudi Arabian an eight year-old girl was married off to a 58 year-old man, by her father. The judge passed a ruling that the young girl would be unable to apply for a divorce from her husband until she reaches the age of puberty. The girl still resides with her mother, while the estranged father has set a vocal condition that the marriage would not be allowed to be consummated until the child reaches 18 years of age. However, there is no guarantee the husband will not claim conjugal rights before then.
There are no figures available of how many pre-adolescent children have been forced into arranged marriages, but the number is believed to be very considerable.
Turkey: A 23 year-old woman was shot three times in the head by her brother, when she divorced the man her parents had forced her to marry.
India: At the tender age of just eight years old, young girls are married off to older men, in India.
Education has only had limited success in cutting across these age-old customs and traditions, as the victims are mostly emotionally, socially and economically reliant on the family. Unfortunately, most countries do not have a ruling on forced marriages.
About the Author
Dr Wendy Stenberg-Tendys and her husband are CEO's of YouMe Support Foundation,(http://youmesupport.org). They supply high school education grants to kids who will never go to high school without outside assistance. You can be part of this exciting project that could also completely change your life. Take a few minutes to look at Win A Resort (http://winaresort.com)
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