Stolen Innocence: The Devastating Lives of Child Brides
- Jul 25, 2024
- 3 min read
By: Nadya Azzahra & Nafisa Labib
Source: NPR
From playgrounds to the altar, child marriage remains a significant social issue worldwide. Numerous young girls, who should be experiencing the joys of childhood—like playing dress-up, attending school, and making friends—are instead forced into adulthood prematurely by trapping them in child marriages and having their innocence stripped away at such an early age. In many cultures, child marriage continues to be a normalized practice due to various social norms, such as financial stability, religious beliefs, and societal pressure.
In a small village in Northern Malaysia, two best friends, 14-year-old Noraliza and 11-year-old Ayu had their lives irrevocably changed when Ayu secretly married Naraliza’s 41-year-old father, ultimately becoming his third wife and her best friend’s stepmother.
Ayu’s marriage to Che Abdul Hamid has reignited debate in Malaysia about the persistence of conservative Islamic traditions in this modern, multiethnic democracy.
“I love my wife, I would not touch her until she’s 16 years old,” Che Abdul Karim said, prompting outrage from the locals. Many have also criticized the country’s government, accusing it of inadequately protecting minors under the pretext of religious freedom.
Ayu and Che Abdul Karim’s marriage is under scrutiny, not only due to their age gap, but the nature of their relationship, with Ayu claiming that she loves her husband and Che Abdul Karim’s first two wives disapproving of the couple.
The 11-year-old naïve Ayu may not realize the danger of her situation but it is clear that no young girl should bear the marital responsibilities with a man triple her age.
Such has been the case for girls like Ayu, across the peninsula.
Kelantan, 2018.
A 15-year-old girl from Kota Bharu was signed off as a second wife to a 44-year-old man. The union was met nationally with public outrage, but it was not illegal.
Che Rahim Che Deraman, the girl’s father, agreed to having consented to the marriage, hoping that his daughter would be freed from the clutches of poverty in their home, and find a decent future with a man more than double her age.
The father stated that the 15-year-old, albeit a minor, was last among her 13 siblings to get married in hopes of her leading a ‘better life.’
This was possible due to Malaysia’s dual legal system, where, under the approval of the Shariah Court, Muslim girls in Malaysia can be married at any age.
Kuala Lumpur, 2010.
Teenager Siti Maryam Mahmod, 14, married the teacher Abdul Manan Othman, 23, at a wedding held in Kuala Lumpur.
The Islamic Sharia court gave permission for the marriage to proceed; following which, the teenager stated to a local newspaper that she was, ‘well prepared to take up the duties of a wife,’ and that she has her mother to guide her on her wifely duties and marriage.
The child bride mentioned that she would focus on completing her education before starting a family with her ‘husband.’
Finally, the heart-wrenching story of a 13-year-old rape victim sent shockwaves across the country, as she ‘decided’ to marry the 40-year-old rapist who even claimed the wedding to be ‘consensual.’
Sabah, 2013.
Outside court, the then-married perpetrator stated to reporters that cases of marrying underage girls in the nation were not uncommon, and that he did not see why his case should be any different, despite the horrific circumstance leading to the wedlock.
The 13-year-old victim was given his title of being a ‘second wife,’ and was reportedly accepted by the man’s first wife, whom he had four children with.
The victim was raped in February, and the teen later withdrew her case report in April, prior to the wedding, whence the perpetrator paid the teen’s family 5,000 Malaysian Ringgit in compensation.
The development was met with outrage, with NGOs and support organisations condemning the incident.
References:
Times, N. Y. (2018, July 30). 11 and married: Malaysia spars over child brides | New Straits Times. NST Online. https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2018/07/396076/11-and-married-malaysia-spars-over-child-brides
Selby, D. (2018). Yet Another Malaysian Teen Married Off to Man Nearly Three Times Her Age. Global Citizen. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/malaysia-child-marriage-44-poverty/
Gates, S. (2013, May 22). Malaysian Man Accused Of Rape Marries 13-Year-Old Victim. HuffPost. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/malaysian-man-rape-marries-victim_n_3321086
Yi, B. (2016). Malaysia’s 14-year-old bride defends marriage. NDTV.com. https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/malaysias-14-year-old-bride-defends-marriage-441797
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