Forced marriage is illegal under Islamic law: the bride’s consent must be obtained. However, the idea of “consent” is a bit elastic:
“Narrated `Aisha: I asked the Prophet, ‘O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Should the women be asked for their consent to their marriage?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ I said, ‘A virgin, if asked, feels shy and keeps quiet.’ He said, ‘Her silence means her consent.’” (Bukhari 89.7.6946)
Her silence means her consent? It may mean that she is terrified to speak up, for fear of the consequences. What’s more, women are treated as commodities in Islam: they can be beaten for disobedience (Qur’an 4:34), their testimony and inheritance rights are devalued, they can be divorced at a word, and more. This doesn’t create an atmosphere in which their consent is likely to be valued.
“Forced marriage in Germany: When the chair in the classroom remains empty after the holidays,” translated from “Zwangsverheiratung in Deutschland: Wenn der Stuhl im Klassenzimmer nach den Ferien leer bleibt,” by Susann Kreutzmann, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, July 10, 2022 (thanks to Medforth):
Yasmin (name altered) has a presentiment. She has just turned 16. In the past weeks, she was not allowed to take a single step on her own. Her brothers picked her up from school and her parents forbade her to meet her friends. Now the whole family is going to visit relatives in Lebanon during the holidays. The parents have given a cousin’s wedding as the reason for the trip. But Yasmin fears it will be her own. She does not know to whom she was promised.
Myria Böhmecke from the women’s rights organisation Terre des Femmes knows of many cases that have happened in this or similar ways. In big German cities such as Berlin, Hamburg or Frankfurt, forced marriages of girls and young Muslim women are no longer a marginal phenomenon but widespread.
The last nationwide study on forced marriages was commissioned by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs in 2008. It surveyed counselling centres: 3443 people, mainly young women, had asked for help there in the course of a year because of a threatened (60 percent) or already enforced (40 percent) forced marriage. “We assume that the number of unreported cases is much, much higher,” says Böhmecke. Especially minors do not dare to seek help in counselling. “There is the extreme relationship of dependence on the parents.”
Imke Steinberg (name changed) is a teacher at a secondary school in the Neukölln district of Berlin and reports similar experiences. For more than ten years, she has been looking after the girls at the school together with social workers. She has often accompanied schoolgirls who have decided to be taken into care because of a threatened forced marriage, i.e. they have left their families and been accommodated in protected flats of the Youth Welfare Office. However, it is always a long way until such a step is taken. “About 90 percent don’t make it the first time,” Steinberg knows. For many, breaking off contact with the family is unbearable. When talking about forced marriage, she often hears the remark: “That’s the way things are in Islam.”
Steinberg reports that she once discovered engagement photos from Turkey of one of her students on Facebook. The parents had previously declared that the 15-year-old girl was ill. “We built up pressure,” she says. Again and again she called the family and had to listen to absurd excuses. “Then we said that if the girl was not back in school in three days, we would call the police.” The threat was effective, and the family did indeed travel back. This was especially important because there were other daughters in the family, says Steinberg.
In general, it is the positive experiences that give her strength: when Steinberg was able to bring a student to safe accommodation and then hears that she has started an education and is going her way. Or when a conversation with the parents is held and a possible forced marriage is at least questioned. But she also knows how traumatic such situations are for the girls. “There is always a blind spot.
Girls account for about 90 per cent of forced marriages. But there are also cases of boys and young men like that of the German-Lebanese Nasser. When Nasser was 15, his parents found out about his homosexuality. His father considers this a disgrace to the family and abuses him severely. In a cloak and dagger operation, the father and two uncles drag Nasser into a car and try to get him to Lebanon to marry him off, as he himself says. But the plan is discovered. The Youth Welfare Office had already been informed. The car is stopped at the Romanian-Bulgarian border. Nasser made his fate public and in 2015 denounced his father and uncles for abducting minors and depriving them of their liberty. The accused have to go to court and get off with a fine of 1350 euros – a verdict that many people observing the trial consider too lenient.
Andrew says
The girls are controlled while the boys are free to mingle with local girls.
gravenimage says
Generally true. Some boys–like the gay kid in the article above–are forced into marriage, but this is rare compared to how often girls are victimized.
mortimer says
The worst thing about child marriage is something called OBSTETRIC FISTULA. The UN has come out strongly for ending child marriages.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION Description of Obstetric Fistula
http://www.who.int/features/factfiles/obstetric_fistula/en/
10 facts on obstetric fistula
Updated January 2018
Each year between 50 000 to 100 000 women worldwide are affected by obstetric fistula, an abnormal opening between a woman’s genital tract and her urinary tract or rectum. The development of obstetric fistula is directly linked to one of the major causes of maternal mortality: obstructed labour.
Women who experience obstetric fistula suffer constant incontinence, shame, social segregation and health problems. It is estimated that more than 2 million young women live with untreated obstetric fistula in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.
Obstetric fistula is preventable; it can largely be avoided by:
delaying the age of first pregnancy;
the cessation of harmful traditional practices; and
timely access to obstetric care.
Preventing and managing obstetric fistula contribute to the Sustainable Development Goal 3 of improving maternal health.
……………………………………
https://iheu.org/obstetric-fistula-dire-consequence-child-marriage/
Child marriage and obstetric fistulas
Despite international agreements and national laws, child marriage remains common custom in the developing world. Nevertheless, it is a legislated human rights violation that prevents girls from becoming educated, maturing, enjoying a healthy life, and, ultimately, choosing their own life partners. Driven mainly by poverty, child marriage has immediate and long-term health consequences, among them increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS and for cervical cancer. In addition, besides the incidence of obstetric fistulas, malaria and death during childbirth are other serious health consequences often resulting from premature marriage.
A high percentage of what amounts to children delivering children is found in the African nations of Ethiopia (25%), Uganda (42%), and Mali (45%). These girls give birth by age 18 compared with only 1% in Germany, 2% in France, and 10% in the United States. “Compared with women of 20 years of age, girls 10–14 … are 5 to 7 times more likely to die from childbirth, and girls 15–19 years of age are twice as likely For example, in Mali, the maternal mortality rate for girls aged 15–19 is 178 per 100,000 live births and for women aged 20–34, only 32 per 100,000”.
Among the reasons for these high death rates is obstructed labor, which is the consequence of the girl’s pelvis being too small to deliver a fetus. In effect, the shoulders of the fetus cannot fit through the mother’s pelvic bones, although its head passes into the vagina. Without a cesarean section, the neonate dies while the mother survives. Many times, obstructed labor leads to fistulas. The explanation is the pressure of the fetus’s head on the vaginal wall, causing tissue necrosis, and then the development of fistulas.
Obstetric fistula is a serious medical condition occurring after childbirth in which an aberrant communication develops between vagina and another organ – usually either the rectum or bladder – which may result in leakage of urine, feces, and blood. Obstetric fistulas affect women of all ages and account for 8 percent of maternal deaths worldwide. In many countries, particularly in the developing world, obstetric fistulas are accompanied by social and cultural stigmatization.
somehistory says
You can copy and paste all of that. But, I’d leave it to the little girls who are forced into being raped daily…or even more often…by the ugly beasts who do the raping, to say what is the “worst thing.”
gravenimage says
Grimly true, Mortimer. And the risk is even greater among girls who have been infibulated (Type III FGM). This is most common in the African Sahel, and virtually all girls in Somalia have been infibulated. This is where the vagina is sewn shut, with just a tiny gap left for urination and menstrual blood.
Girls with fistulas are almost all immediately divorced by their husbands–even though most of them never would have married girls who had not been so mutilated. They often have terrible infections and many die grisly deaths.
Note that all Fistula hospitals are run by charitable Infidels, and not by Muslim countries or charities.
Fistulas are incredibly rare in the West, since the two greatest risks of them is absent. And if there is a danger it is caught early by doctors. The problem is fixed either surgically or by giving birth via caesarian section.
somehistory says
Yes, her cousin is getting married…probably at least thirty years old…and the child is to be his to rape daily and they’ll call it “marriage” so they can later claim, when she fails to do exactly as he demands, an *honor* killing. After all, the slime who forces her has no honor and neither do her parents and brothers; but they have to pretend that there is *honor* and the only way is to call the daily rape of a child, marriage.
The poor girl has to know, deep down in her frightened heart, that she is to be her cousin’s to rape as he chooses. And her family will call her a “bride” so they can pretend to save face. Likely, someone is also forking over some dough as payment.
mortimer says
80% of Muslim wives are BEATEN … some very savagely. But, most Muslim women accept wife beating as ‘normal’ because they are brainwashed into the Islamic Stockholm syndrome and they identify with their perpetrators.
somehistory says
Baloney. When you become a woman, marry a mozlum beast, and are beaten, revisit.
BTeboe says
Islam is a scourge on the planet.
Wellington says
Yes.
mortimer says
Islam is the 7th century’s primitive Bedouin desert culture foisted upon the world.
gravenimage says
Germany: Teacher tries to stop forced marriages, is told by the victims ‘That’s the way things are in Islam’
……………………….
Grimly true–forced and child marriages are rife among Muslims, and all on Islamic grounds.
This happens all the time now in the West–that underaged girls just disappear from classrooms–the end of their schooling so they can be raped by old men.
Good to see that some in civilized nations are trying to stop this–but when even the many of the victims consider it hopeless because child rape is sacralized in Islam, this is an uphill battle.
“European Parliament Committee Urges End to Child Marriage”
EU Should Act Against the Unlawful Practice Globally – And at Home
https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/04/16/european-parliament-committee-urges-end-child-marriage
Note that in this article they dare not mention that the mass invasion of Muslims into Europe have caused the main problem there. Some non-Muslims do practice child marriage, but it is mostly not widespread and most are not so wedded to the practice as are Muslims (pardon the pun).
tim gallagher says
Do readers here at JIhad Watch know what percentage of Muslims would go along with these forced marriages and marriages of underage girls? I presume that some Muslims do not go along with this barbaric crap. I know that there have been a few cases that have made the news in Australia where authoriities have stepped in to stop girls being sent off to Lebanon to be married off. To me, this primitive garbage is just one of many complete incompatibilities between islam and our more civilised western way of life. You would think that everybody, including the left wing fools in our societies, would be outraged and maybe think that islam is incompatible with our more civilised way of living life in western countries. But no, they generally seem to think islam is OK and Muslims will be a positive addition to our societies. You know, just wonderful diversity and all that. Pure fantasy land thinking.
somehistory says
Well, Tim, not being familiar with each individual mozlum, I’d guess that the only sub-group among them who would object…if they could…would be the tiny girls sold off to some lusty rapist of the young. The grown, or nearly-grown, women who get roped in, and object, are murdered by their families. I’d say that probably 100 percent of these would say they don’t want to go along with this “custom.”
what male among them would object? those who don’t want to be part of any of it, but there don’t seem to be a lot of x-mozlums around to attest to the leaving.
tim gallagher says
Thanks for the comment, somehistory. I suppose that islam approves 100% of this type of behaviour. Occasionally, there will be a report of some girl here in australia being saved from being sent to Lebanon to be married off. I live in an area with plenty of Muslims so I do tend to look around at what might be going on, out of curiosity. I have occasionally seen what look to be underage girls, even with young children who seem to be theirs. Always have some older woman with them, controlling them. So I guess they’d be married off girls. But I get the impression that many Muslims do not go in for marrying off their very young daughters. Maybe a lot of Muslims don’t go in for this evil behaviour and have adopted more western, non-Muslim, ways of behaving. It’s very hard to know as the Muslims are usually off in their own world and I have almost no interest in their barbaric world. I would not have any Muslims in non-Muslim counties. i can’t see the positive in letting islam into any non-Muslim country. To me, islam is incompatible with civilised living in many different ways.
somehistory says
tim, I have to agree. I believe allowing such into a sane area, is akin to bringing poisonous snakes into one’s bedroom and allowing them to slither free.
Or even to putting a small amount of poison in a glass of one’s favorite drink before consuming it.
It’s difficult to know how far along any mozlum in a non-dominated nation is in their mind. How far will the mozlum standing in line at the local grocery store go to prove his cult is going to ascend to be over everyone? Or how much does the woman wearing her scarf wish to marry off the tiny daughter whose hand she holds to cross a street?
No one can say for sure except the mozlum involved.
Now if we recognize any of them as belonging to the mozlum groups such as c.a.i.rats org here in the U.S., or the msa, or hamas, then we have a better idea just how devoted they are. and of what they are capable.
When I see i. elmi, alias i omar, or r tlaib, I am fairly certain where they stand on the issues. Snakes slithering free in the bedroom.
tim gallagher says
I have to say, somehistroy, that I never trust any Muslims. I meet some Muslims who seem superficially to be pleasant people and I think that they might be OK, almost miraculously, in spite of the poisonous hatred that islam teaches. But then, all such Muslims need to do is become more devout and then they will be the clear enemy of our entire way of life. I believe that Muslims are not worth the trouble they inevitably bring to any non-Muslim country.
Wellington says
I have long argued, tim, that so-called moderate Muslims are just about the most useless, clueless and gutless people on the planet. Many of them will indicate their willingness to go along with Western ideals but, in the final analysis, when push comes to shove, they’re cowards and believers in the worst religion of all time and will side with your more “enthusiastic” Muslims against Westerners in a heartbeat. Any really responsible moderate Muslim would realize that his only sane and ethical route is to leave Islam completely. All the others are worthless or even worse than worthless. Counting on them is a fool’s errand.
tim gallagher says
I agree with what you say there, Wellington. I suppose, since Muslims are threatened with death for packing up and leaving the evil ideology behind, it could be hard to leave, but I also really only have the time of day for people who have left islam behind. There is far too much in islam that is barbaric and downright evil. As I said up above to somehistory, I could never trust a Muslim. Even the seemingly pleasant ones could become more devout and serious about their vicious religion and then they are an enemy of all our values and a clear danger to all of us. Better to keep islam out and avoid all the strife Muslims bring to all countries to are let into.
Keith O says
The concept of marrying someone for love is completely foreign to mudslimes for the simply reason that love doesn’t exist within this sick, twisted cult.
In western nations, arranged marriages were still around as late as the early 20th century. The bride and groom at least had the option of pulling the pin on the wedding if they had strong objections.
Islam is still firmly locked in the stone age when it comes to this.
Wellington says
Agreed, Keith O. Islam’s hostility to Valentine’s Day reveals in just one more way how deficient Mo’s creed truly is. No romantic love in Islam. Well, for that matter, no wonderful anything in Islam. This religion has a legion of faults—and interminable dreariness is one of them. Another is a dearth of humor—a la that stupid, bitter, evil old fool, Ayatollah Khomeini, “There is no fun in Islam.”
Wellington says
Yes, per Robert Spencer, the idea of consent is indeed “elastic” under Islam, rather as the word, “innocent” is.
Islam plays many word games (and many other games as well, some quite deadly) and I for one am so sick of them all, as I am of Islam in general. What a rotten excuse for a major religion Islam has been from its inception, long after far more decent religions like Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism and Christianity had their start.
And yes, I know Islam claims it is the oldest religion and other religions like Christianity and Judaism perverted this true and wonderful “initial” religion. But this is horseshit too as Islam in general is.
weavo2 says
Plus 100% Wellington
Andrew Blackadder says
In India they say… Love the one you marry… Do not marry the one you love…
Arranged marriages are common in many societies around the world, not just within islam, as it is thought to be security for the young female involved, even in ancient European times such marriages were arranged through various Kingdoms, for peace, wealth, however we in the West have evolved from that whereas islam is still living in the 7th century and demand that we adjust to their evil ways when they come to our countries.
Merkel invited them and it will be the downfall of my beautiful European cultures.
The Islam Party in Belgium is gained support every year…
Im just sayin…
gravenimage says
Andrew Blackadder wrote:
Arranged marriages are common in many societies around the world, not just within islam, as it is thought to be security for the young female involved
…………………………
Andrew–with all respect–the claim that forced marriages of underaged girls somehow is intended to “protect” them is very odd. What does it protect them from? Getting an education? Having any say in who is allowed to have sex with them?
In fact, underaged marriages are more often abusive. This should not surprise–what kind of creep wants to marry a child against her will?
Christopher Watson says
We all hate the gradual takeover of our institutions of our countries. With more and more moslems rape is becoming common all over Europe and the US. ‘Oh, we didn’t know!’ the moslems tell us. Rubbish! They know damn well. As a result the way our females behave is changing all over Europe. They now dress more modestly and are careful where they go; and they go out at night less frequently. Yes, the animals should be controlled but surely the blame should lie squarely with our politicians. They have allowed in thousands or millions of young moslem men who have no education and no skills. They cost every European country billions of dollars, euros ands pounds and cause rampant criminality. What do our politicians do to solve this problem? They let in a few more thousands. They are taking over our local government; we are likely to have an emmigrant as our next PM. And thousands of rapists are being protected by our police.