Arranged marriages are not events that are common in Australia, particularly underage ones. Uncommon does not mean that there are not those who do not try. A recent case has seen the Family Court of Victoria become involved. The Court has required the family to hand over the young girl's passport and issued an order prohibiting her removal from Australia until she is 18, and placed her on a Federal Police "watch list".
The family is originally from Macedonia and the 14-year-old has been engaged to a 17-year-old Macedonian youth. The only contact the girl and her prospective husband have had is a photograph that she was allegedly shown of him. The marriage plan was only uncovered recently when the girl stopped attending school and the Child Protection division of Victoria's Department of Human Services became involved in the case.
This may have been a touch of good luck on the part of the Human Services people because at the interview to find out why the girl was not going to school, she said that her father did not approve of her going to school and that it really did not seem to matter as she would soon be heading overseas to get married anyway.
This is where it becomes really interesting, the girl also added at interview that she was not pushed or forced into this arranged marriage. In fact, she stated that her parents said she could back out if it turned out that she did not like the prospective spouse after meeting him.
Nevertheless, in the infinite wisdom that is contained in a number of affidavits that the girl did not understand the concept of marriage or the likelihood of sexual intercourse with her prospective spouse. Furthermore, it was suggested that a marriage at this age would deprive her of good educational prospects.
It is hard to fathom, to work out, why in the 21st Century there is still a belief that it is wise to marry off pre-teen and teenage girls to men that they have never met in countries they may never have been too. I am all for promoting cultural diversity and the maintenance of cultural traditions.
However, in this case, I am also very much pro the idea of protecting those that are most vulnerable. And, our children are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. We, therefore, must ensure that we protect them to the best of our abilities. There is not a good reason that I can see why an arranged marriage of a 14-year-old is necessary. But, that's just me.
Ho hum...
Showing posts with label Arranged Marriage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arranged Marriage. Show all posts
15 September 2010
17 April 2008
Married and Divorced at 8 Years Old
It is one thing to be appreciative of cultural differences but forcing 8-year old children into arranged marriages just strikes me as being plain wrong! An 8-year old marrying a bloke who is 30 years old is sad. This is not an issue of difference in age, I have nothing against a 50-year old marrying someone who is 18 years old if this is what they want to do as consulting adults. I do take issue with parents who force their children into arranged marriages at 8 years old!
It would seem that a Judge in Yemen also has a problem with the concept albeit the decision handed down is interesting. In Yemen parents can sign their kids over into an arranged marriage where the child is under 15. However, the marriage cannot be consummated until the child reaches puberty. I am sure that there are probably cases where children reach puberty at 8 years old and they are probably as rare as hen's teeth!
The judge apparently sympathised with the girl and granted her petition for divorce. Her testimony as a child of trying to flee a man intent on having sex with her was undoubtedly harrowing. The man for his part provided testimony to the fact that "she is my wife and I can do whatever I want with her". Although the girl claimed rape in marriage, she was never likely to be successful on this front as Yemeni law apparently does not recognize rape in marriage. The judge got around this by stating that the girl had not reached puberty. It should be noted that Yemeni law does not provide a punishment for those that consummate a marriage before the girl reaches puberty.
The interesting part of the decision is that the judge also ordered that the girl's family pay compensation to the now ex-husband! No reasons were offered but presumably this was for the inconvenience of having to go through the divorce. The child was also removed from the custody of the family!
I am going to have to read more about Yemeni law!
It would seem that a Judge in Yemen also has a problem with the concept albeit the decision handed down is interesting. In Yemen parents can sign their kids over into an arranged marriage where the child is under 15. However, the marriage cannot be consummated until the child reaches puberty. I am sure that there are probably cases where children reach puberty at 8 years old and they are probably as rare as hen's teeth!
The judge apparently sympathised with the girl and granted her petition for divorce. Her testimony as a child of trying to flee a man intent on having sex with her was undoubtedly harrowing. The man for his part provided testimony to the fact that "she is my wife and I can do whatever I want with her". Although the girl claimed rape in marriage, she was never likely to be successful on this front as Yemeni law apparently does not recognize rape in marriage. The judge got around this by stating that the girl had not reached puberty. It should be noted that Yemeni law does not provide a punishment for those that consummate a marriage before the girl reaches puberty.
The interesting part of the decision is that the judge also ordered that the girl's family pay compensation to the now ex-husband! No reasons were offered but presumably this was for the inconvenience of having to go through the divorce. The child was also removed from the custody of the family!
I am going to have to read more about Yemeni law!
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