PDA

View Full Version : Australian girls among millions forced to become child brides



Ria
23rd July 2013, 07:40
Australian girls among millions forced to become child brides

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038#ixzz2Zqs0FrZd
http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038
Australian girls among millions forced to become child brides

AN eloquent and heart-wrenching video message from an 11-year-old girl who escaped being sold into a marriage to an older man has thrown the spotlight on forced marriages.
In her video soliloquy, Yemeni girl Nada Al-Ahdals defiantly declares: "I'm not an item for sale."
Nada says she fled to her uncle's house when her parents attempted to force her into marrying an older man for money.
"I would have had no life, no education," she says in the video, dated July 8. "Don't they have any compassion?"
"I'm better off dead. I'd rather die."
While mainly a third world problem, Australia is not immune to teenage and prepubescent girls being forced into marrying older men.
Among the shocking statistics are:
* 37,000 girls under 18 are forced into marriage every day
* 13 million underage girls married off each year
* Girls under 15 five times more likely to die in childbirth
* Most are in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East
* Australian girls have fought back afainst forced marriage
Taken against their will

~~~~~
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038#ixzz2ZqsMKCPt

The world's youngest divorcee
Some, like Nujood Ali, manage to escape.
In 2008, Nujood was married off by her father at nine, for a dowry of a little more than $750, after her future husband, Faez Ali Thamer, promised not to have sex with her "before the year after she has her first period" - as required by law in Yemen.
But what followed was a cycle of sexual and physical abuse, starting on her wedding night.

Former child-bride Nujud Mohammed Ali was granted a divorce in 2008 at the age of eight after her unemployed father forced her into an arranged marriage with a man twenty years her senior. AFP /Mohamed Huwais
Two months later, during a visit back to her family home, she took the unprecedented step of running away and asking a court for a divorce on grounds of abuse.
Her story was turned into a best-selling book, I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced, and gave hope to thousands of underage brides.
Now 15, it hasn't all gone to plan for Nujood. The royalties from her book were supposed to pay for her schooling and allow her to follow her ambition to become a lawyer.
Instead the money has been squandered by her father - who has now sold her younger sister to a man twice her age.
"My father has spent all the money on getting married twice again," she told The Guardian in March this year.
Desmond Tutu says child marriage denies girls their dignity and the opportunity to make choices in their lives.
As brave little Nada Al-Ahdals says in her video of defiance: "I'm a human being and I would rather die than get married at this age."
###


Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038#ixzz2ZqsgVt2l

delfine
23rd July 2013, 09:49
So sad. I really wish that this primitive and outdated practice stops soon.

northstar
23rd July 2013, 10:23
I watched the video statement by 11 year old Nada Al-Ahdal yesterday and I was blown away by the power, eloquence and intelligence of the child. Forced marriage of little girls to grown men and the subsequent sexual abuse of those little girls by their "husbands" is nothing other than institutionalized pedophilia.

I am glad that her uncle seems to be protecting her from the "marriage" proposal which her parents agreed to. The story she tells of her 14 year old cousin who was married off and then abused so badly she killed herself is heartbreaking. What type of parents would sell an 11 year old female child to a grown man?? It is unspeakable.

This is the video of Nada Al-Ahdal. Yesterday there were 1 million views on Youtube. Today I notice there are over 4 million. If anyone can bring a voice and a face to the inhumane and disgusting practice of selling little girls to grown men in forced marriages, it is this incredible and articulate child. More power to her and I hope that her uncle keeps her safe and helps her get a good education.

-J7_TKgw1To


This is a good article about her in the Daily Mail:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2373151/Nada-Al-Ahdal-Escaped-Yemeni-child-bride-11-explains-ran-away-home.html

'Go ahead and marry me off - I'll kill myself': Escaped child bride, 11, explains why she ran away from home

OnyxKnight
23rd July 2013, 10:42
Playing the devil's advocate a bit - The video was released by sources with reputation for propaganda. Just saying, take it all in consideration.

That being said - Wonderful video. I hope it becomes viral. At least this one would be viral for all the right reasons.

Ol' Roy
23rd July 2013, 10:47
I think they should castrate everyone who is involved in this process, both fathers and husbands. Also sterilize the mothers for permitting such a thing. I cried my eyes out watching this. Can't the Australian government do something about this? I am appalled!

ulli
23rd July 2013, 11:57
Different cultural extremes running amok around the globe.

In the west kids can do whatever they want, and if parents don't like the choice of their child's mate the kids end up having babies that never get to know their grandparents.
Meanwhile other cultures give the kids no rights at all, and "institutionalized pedophilia" is the result.
The ideal situation is that of parental consent, after the kids have made a choice, as a checks and balance system to protect kids from marrying a partner who might be unhealthy for them. Love can be blind at times.
The world needs balance.

Flash
23rd July 2013, 13:34
parents consent for a individual's life partner: I know many parents who would abuse it too.

What about self responsibility after age 18 or 20??? This is one's complete responsibility. If we are blinded, tough luck, learning lesson and life goes on afterward. We have to grow up individually and collectively.

I am glad the video is viral, I have seen much too many girls/women treated worst than dogs, all over the world, most often by men.

¤=[Post Update]=¤


I think they should castrate everyone who is involved in this process, both fathers and husbands. Also sterilize the mothers for permitting such a thing. I cried my eyes out watching this. Can't the Australian government do something about this? I am appalled!

Yes, that would stop this barbarie immediately. The "customs" (what a good excuse for a society promoting pedophilia) would change within one day.

Maia Gabrial
23rd July 2013, 16:53
It just makes you wonder what a grown man is thinking, marrying a child and having sex with a child...IMO it's just more pedophilia...

Nanoo Nanoo
23rd July 2013, 18:16
Playing the devil's advocate a bit - The video was released by sources with reputation for propaganda. Just saying, take it all in consideration.

That being said - Wonderful video. I hope it becomes viral. At least this one would be viral for all the right reasons.

precisely 2 min and 23 seconds.

i agree with you

N

Nanoo Nanoo
23rd July 2013, 22:32
Australian girls among millions forced to become child brides

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038#ixzz2Zqs0FrZd
http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038
Australian girls among millions forced to become child brides

AN eloquent and heart-wrenching video message from an 11-year-old girl who escaped being sold into a marriage to an older man has thrown the spotlight on forced marriages.
In her video soliloquy, Yemeni girl Nada Al-Ahdals defiantly declares: "I'm not an item for sale."
Nada says she fled to her uncle's house when her parents attempted to force her into marrying an older man for money.
"I would have had no life, no education," she says in the video, dated July 8. "Don't they have any compassion?"
"I'm better off dead. I'd rather die."
While mainly a third world problem, Australia is not immune to teenage and prepubescent girls being forced into marrying older men.
Among the shocking statistics are:
* 37,000 girls under 18 are forced into marriage every day
* 13 million underage girls married off each year
* Girls under 15 five times more likely to die in childbirth
* Most are in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East
* Australian girls have fought back afainst forced marriage
Taken against their will

~~~~~
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038#ixzz2ZqsMKCPt

The world's youngest divorcee
Some, like Nujood Ali, manage to escape.
In 2008, Nujood was married off by her father at nine, for a dowry of a little more than $750, after her future husband, Faez Ali Thamer, promised not to have sex with her "before the year after she has her first period" - as required by law in Yemen.
But what followed was a cycle of sexual and physical abuse, starting on her wedding night.

Former child-bride Nujud Mohammed Ali was granted a divorce in 2008 at the age of eight after her unemployed father forced her into an arranged marriage with a man twenty years her senior. AFP /Mohamed Huwais
Two months later, during a visit back to her family home, she took the unprecedented step of running away and asking a court for a divorce on grounds of abuse.
Her story was turned into a best-selling book, I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced, and gave hope to thousands of underage brides.
Now 15, it hasn't all gone to plan for Nujood. The royalties from her book were supposed to pay for her schooling and allow her to follow her ambition to become a lawyer.
Instead the money has been squandered by her father - who has now sold her younger sister to a man twice her age.
"My father has spent all the money on getting married twice again," she told The Guardian in March this year.
Desmond Tutu says child marriage denies girls their dignity and the opportunity to make choices in their lives.
As brave little Nada Al-Ahdals says in her video of defiance: "I'm a human being and I would rather die than get married at this age."
###


Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038#ixzz2ZqsgVt2l

I have to make a correction Ria , the girl in the video states her Mother in particular was trying to sell her off. As we can see both men and women are able to do these hurendous deeds against small children like Nada and Nujood.

So the focus should be on the parents who are instigating these crimes. Both the mothers and the fathers.

Naniu

witchy1
23rd July 2013, 22:53
From the Australian perspecitive as stated in the article, it appears this relates to parents flying their daughters to another country for arranged marriages. From the article -

"A 16-YEAR-old girl has won the right to be placed on the airport watch list to stop her parents taking her to Lebanon for an arranged marriage"
"Last year, another Sydney family was banned from taking their daughter, 17, to Lebanon for an arranged marriage after she called Australian Federal Police from home while her mother was out"
"And last September the Family Court banned a 14-year-old would-be bride from leaving Australia."

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/child-brides-victory-over-parents/story-e6frfkp9-1226152301088

(as a FYI - You need to be 16 yrs old with court consent or 18 in Australia to be married and a "prospective spouse visa" means you have to be married within 9 months of arriving in Australia)

The other article states

200 17-year-old girls were granted prospective spouse visas over the past 5 years - a figure child safety campaigners branded as shocking.
More than 100 17 year olds from Lebanon were granted the visas after being sponsored by men aged 19 to 37
Hundreds more 18, 19, and 20-year-old women also received the visas after being sponsored by older men. The majority of the teenagers were from the Middle East or Southeast Asian countries.
One 17 year old from Thailand was brought out by a 57-year-old man, and a 17-year-old Iraqi girl was sponsored by a 50 -year-old.
http://www.news.com.au/national-news/visa-alarm-over-imported-teen-brides/story-e6frfkvr-1226187186422

ghostrider
24th July 2013, 01:25
blankety , blankety, blanken , blank , beeep beeep , those beeep. there I sensored my self in the interest of maintaing the integrity of the environment ... this should be the ultimate outrage of the world ... the brother , uncle , cousin, whomever, should knock the tar out of any man that even thinks to sell his own flesh and blood for green paper... hang them from the lampost, if there is one thing that sets my indian blood to boil, it is violence against women and children ...this is the ultimate violence - selling another human ... people are NOT property ... I will defend the lives of the innocent with my last ounce of being ... I'm a survivor of abuse from a crazy man, they must be stopped and it's up to me to stop them, I ran away from home at 16 I made my mother choose me or the crazy drunk ... since that experience I cannot - will not - tolerate violence towards women especially children ... this makes me sick , I gotta go

ghostrider
24th July 2013, 02:53
okay , If I could wave a magic wand... this shyte would end NOW ... what's wrong with the world ...some consider another human being property... allah ackbad my rear end, get off your tush and do some work if you need money, there are plenty of folks that will glady pay anyone to do mundane things for them ...

ghostrider
24th July 2013, 02:58
Australian girls among millions forced to become child brides

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038#ixzz2Zqs0FrZd
http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038
Australian girls among millions forced to become child brides

AN eloquent and heart-wrenching video message from an 11-year-old girl who escaped being sold into a marriage to an older man has thrown the spotlight on forced marriages.
In her video soliloquy, Yemeni girl Nada Al-Ahdals defiantly declares: "I'm not an item for sale."
Nada says she fled to her uncle's house when her parents attempted to force her into marrying an older man for money.
"I would have had no life, no education," she says in the video, dated July 8. "Don't they have any compassion?"
"I'm better off dead. I'd rather die."
While mainly a third world problem, Australia is not immune to teenage and prepubescent girls being forced into marrying older men.
Among the shocking statistics are:
* 37,000 girls under 18 are forced into marriage every day
* 13 million underage girls married off each year
* Girls under 15 five times more likely to die in childbirth
* Most are in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East
* Australian girls have fought back afainst forced marriage
Taken against their will

~~~~~
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038#ixzz2ZqsMKCPt

The world's youngest divorcee
Some, like Nujood Ali, manage to escape.
In 2008, Nujood was married off by her father at nine, for a dowry of a little more than $750, after her future husband, Faez Ali Thamer, promised not to have sex with her "before the year after she has her first period" - as required by law in Yemen.
But what followed was a cycle of sexual and physical abuse, starting on her wedding night.

Former child-bride Nujud Mohammed Ali was granted a divorce in 2008 at the age of eight after her unemployed father forced her into an arranged marriage with a man twenty years her senior. AFP /Mohamed Huwais
Two months later, during a visit back to her family home, she took the unprecedented step of running away and asking a court for a divorce on grounds of abuse.
Her story was turned into a best-selling book, I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced, and gave hope to thousands of underage brides.
Now 15, it hasn't all gone to plan for Nujood. The royalties from her book were supposed to pay for her schooling and allow her to follow her ambition to become a lawyer.
Instead the money has been squandered by her father - who has now sold her younger sister to a man twice her age.
"My father has spent all the money on getting married twice again," she told The Guardian in March this year.
Desmond Tutu says child marriage denies girls their dignity and the opportunity to make choices in their lives.
As brave little Nada Al-Ahdals says in her video of defiance: "I'm a human being and I would rather die than get married at this age."
###


Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038#ixzz2ZqsgVt2l

I have to make a correction Ria , the girl in the video states her Mother in particular was trying to sell her off. As we can see both men and women are able to do these hurendous deeds against small children like Nada and Nujood.

So the focus should be on the parents who are instigating these crimes. Both the mothers and the fathers.

Naniu

sadly in muslim religion women must obey their husbands wishes, or get the rule of thumb imposed on them ... but I agree roast both and all involved ...

Nanoo Nanoo
24th July 2013, 08:26
Australian girls among millions forced to become child brides

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038#ixzz2Zqs0FrZd
http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038
Australian girls among millions forced to become child brides

AN eloquent and heart-wrenching video message from an 11-year-old girl who escaped being sold into a marriage to an older man has thrown the spotlight on forced marriages.
In her video soliloquy, Yemeni girl Nada Al-Ahdals defiantly declares: "I'm not an item for sale."
Nada says she fled to her uncle's house when her parents attempted to force her into marrying an older man for money.
"I would have had no life, no education," she says in the video, dated July 8. "Don't they have any compassion?"
"I'm better off dead. I'd rather die."
While mainly a third world problem, Australia is not immune to teenage and prepubescent girls being forced into marrying older men.
Among the shocking statistics are:
* 37,000 girls under 18 are forced into marriage every day
* 13 million underage girls married off each year
* Girls under 15 five times more likely to die in childbirth
* Most are in sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East
* Australian girls have fought back afainst forced marriage
Taken against their will

~~~~~
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038#ixzz2ZqsMKCPt

The world's youngest divorcee
Some, like Nujood Ali, manage to escape.
In 2008, Nujood was married off by her father at nine, for a dowry of a little more than $750, after her future husband, Faez Ali Thamer, promised not to have sex with her "before the year after she has her first period" - as required by law in Yemen.
But what followed was a cycle of sexual and physical abuse, starting on her wedding night.

Former child-bride Nujud Mohammed Ali was granted a divorce in 2008 at the age of eight after her unemployed father forced her into an arranged marriage with a man twenty years her senior. AFP /Mohamed Huwais
Two months later, during a visit back to her family home, she took the unprecedented step of running away and asking a court for a divorce on grounds of abuse.
Her story was turned into a best-selling book, I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced, and gave hope to thousands of underage brides.
Now 15, it hasn't all gone to plan for Nujood. The royalties from her book were supposed to pay for her schooling and allow her to follow her ambition to become a lawyer.
Instead the money has been squandered by her father - who has now sold her younger sister to a man twice her age.
"My father has spent all the money on getting married twice again," she told The Guardian in March this year.
Desmond Tutu says child marriage denies girls their dignity and the opportunity to make choices in their lives.
As brave little Nada Al-Ahdals says in her video of defiance: "I'm a human being and I would rather die than get married at this age."
###


Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world-news/middle-east/australian-girls-among-millions-forced-to-become-child-brides/story-fnh81ifq-1226683129038#ixzz2ZqsgVt2l

I have to make a correction Ria , the girl in the video states her Mother in particular was trying to sell her off. As we can see both men and women are able to do these hurendous deeds against small children like Nada and Nujood.

So the focus should be on the parents who are instigating these crimes. Both the mothers and the fathers.

Naniu

sadly in muslim religion women must obey their husbands wishes, or get the rule of thumb imposed on them ... but I agree roast both and all involved ...

I agree , in most cases this would be true however this very courageous little girl not only mentioned the mother as the one wanting to sell her off she is also the one whom she specifically brought charges against with the police. So in this case it appears the mother is the one pushing to sell off her own daughter.

N

MadMax1
24th July 2013, 09:55
I wonder did some of you read the article in the first video if you did you would see that the Austrlaian government is stepping in and banning their visa so they can not leave the country. The legal age for marriage in Australia is 18 and our country is very strict about this and you will find these are mostly middle eastern people trying to send their children overseas to be married. AFP has gone so far as to remove the kids and arrest the parents for trying to do this and they do what they can to stop it but they can not be everywhere.

DouglasDanger
26th July 2013, 02:21
This should be an outrage, but with a religion of 2 billion + condoning this practice, what is the rest of the world to do?

Simply, this exists because someone somewhere sometime taught his son and many other sons that women are property for pleasure or profit and that they are beneith them.
Don't blame the Ausi government for this, they have to accept all religions and thier practices to be politically correct, they could demand a stop to this, but does that help the ausi country or other countries? or does this enrage a religion that the world is trying to censor its religious freedoms.

Teach the next generation that women are equal regardless on what a religious book or fanatic member of a church states. It is the next generation if taught properly that will put an end to this attrocity, ours will just spin its wheels arguing with those who are brainwashed into thinking this is okay...

TigaHawk
26th July 2013, 03:04
This practice is definately not condoned in Australia. As another poster stated the legal age of marriage here is 18. If it's done inside of australia by a church of whatever religion - they would lose their license and possibly face jail time for being involved.

That is why they go to fly them out of the country to get it done.

If a child was to call 000 and state their family was going to send them away to get married at that age, they'd send out a car immediately to investigate, put the child on a no fly list and take action from there. It's very much NOT acceptable.

This is linked in with why most Australians (myself included) have issues with immigration and "boat people". The problem is not people wanting to come over here to start a new life - it's moreso that most refuze to drop parts of their culture which are not acceptable here - such as the arranged marriages, stuff like sharia law and violent forms of "conflict resolution". Again i understand that there are people that genuinely come here to start a new life and drop the crap, start anew and contribute - but at the same time there are alot that just see coming here as a cushy ticket to free accomodation, food, and better conditions and dont want to change anything about their way of life other than the location that they are at. I may be tainted slightly from personal experiences with this - the area that my parents live in had alot of construction going on over the years where they developed a huge area of houses. This area is one of many - picked by the government as a place to start housing people that make it out of the immigration detention centres. Since they started moving in, breakins and assaults in the suburb have gone up something like 117%.

This is a huge problem in Australia. Say you're against immigrants and you're instantly a racist - a horrible person who is condeming these people to a life of hell. The flip side that noone ever talks about is a majority - once they get in, they dont work, they live on govt handouts, they dont drop outrageous things from the culture of their homeland, they just leech and take what they think is theirs. Again trying not to say all of them do this - but it certainly comes across to me - personally - that more come here for the wrong reasons than the right ones.

This definately isnt limited to one group of people tho - we have many areas around Australia - or suburbs i guess, that is mostly inhabited by one set of people, those areas you want to avoid - because when you go there its quite obvious you are on their "turf" and must abide by whatever rules they've decided they want to run by. It can be quite scary. Especialy when two groups dont get along and have regular clashes.

But finally - this problem isnt limited to Australia. It's everywhere. We all need to learn to get along, to follow our moral compass, and cut all the crap. We'd be so much happier if we did that...

Carmody
26th July 2013, 03:34
From the Australian perspecitive as stated in the article, it appears this relates to parents flying their daughters to another country for arranged marriages. From the article -

"A 16-YEAR-old girl has won the right to be placed on the airport watch list to stop her parents taking her to Lebanon for an arranged marriage"
"Last year, another Sydney family was banned from taking their daughter, 17, to Lebanon for an arranged marriage after she called Australian Federal Police from home while her mother was out"
"And last September the Family Court banned a 14-year-old would-be bride from leaving Australia."

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/child-brides-victory-over-parents/story-e6frfkp9-1226152301088

(as a FYI - You need to be 16 yrs old with court consent or 18 in Australia to be married and a "prospective spouse visa" means you have to be married within 9 months of arriving in Australia)

The other article states

200 17-year-old girls were granted prospective spouse visas over the past 5 years - a figure child safety campaigners branded as shocking.
More than 100 17 year olds from Lebanon were granted the visas after being sponsored by men aged 19 to 37
Hundreds more 18, 19, and 20-year-old women also received the visas after being sponsored by older men. The majority of the teenagers were from the Middle East or Southeast Asian countries.
One 17 year old from Thailand was brought out by a 57-year-old man, and a 17-year-old Iraqi girl was sponsored by a 50 -year-old.
http://www.news.com.au/national-news/visa-alarm-over-imported-teen-brides/story-e6frfkvr-1226187186422

You would think that the court of Australia would also imprison the parents upon their return, if they returned without their child.... and to have any renaming children put in protective custody.