Kenyan 12-year-old girl married to 2 men within a month

[Michie]

From the article-


The girl's father forced her to marry a 51-year-old man and then a 35-year-old man.

A children's rights campaigner and government officials in Kenya rescued a 12-year-old girl whose father had married her off to two men within a month.

The girl's father in Narok County west of the capital Nairobi forced her to marry a 51-year-old man and then a 35-year-old man.

"The father gave her off to the elderly man to be married. She had no option than to get married to the younger man," Joshua Kaputah from the Narok County Peace Association told the BBC.

Kaputah told the news outlet that the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic have increased cases of child marriages.

Continued below.
Kenyan 12-year-old girl married to 2 men within a month

 

[BryanJohnMaloney]

In Kenya, marrying someone who is under 18 years of age is a crime. It's illegal there. Now, shall we talk about child brides in the USA?

Child brides in the US share stories of exploitation, becoming a wife: 'I knew I was 11. I knew he was 20.'

 

[BryanJohnMaloney]

There are only two states in the USA that outlaw marriage of a girl under the age of 18. In Missouri, a little girl as young as 15 can be legally married off. In all of Kenya, it is illegal to marry little girls.

 

[Michie]

From the article-


The girl's father forced her to marry a 51-year-old man and then a 35-year-old man.

A children's rights campaigner and government officials in Kenya rescued a 12-year-old girl whose father had married her off to two men within a month.

The girl's father in Narok County west of the capital Nairobi forced her to marry a 51-year-old man and then a 35-year-old man.

"The father gave her off to the elderly man to be married. She had no option than to get married to the younger man," Joshua Kaputah from the Narok County Peace Association told the BBC.

Kaputah told the news outlet that the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic have increased cases of child marriages.

Continued below.
Kenyan 12-year-old girl married to 2 men within a month

Kaputah told the news outlet that the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic have increased cases of child marriages.

"Some families are hungry and the prospect of receiving two or three cows as dowry is quite tempting," he said.

The pandemic is now spreading swiftly in parts of the African continent of 1.3 billion people as the world’s most poorly funded health systems begin to face what experts have warned all along: They would be rapidly overwhelmed.

 

[Arc F1]

In Kenya, marrying someone who is under 18 years of age is a crime. It's illegal there. Now, shall we talk about child brides in the USA?

Child brides in the US share stories of exploita

From the article-


The girl's father forced her to marry a 51-year-old man and then a 35-year-old man.

A children's rights campaigner and government officials in [URL='https://www.foxnews.com/category/world/world-regions/africa']Kenya

rescued a 12-year-old girl whose father had married her off to two men within a month.

The girl's father in Narok County west of the capital Nairobi forced her to marry a 51-year-old man and then a 35-year-old man.

"The father gave her off to the elderly man to be married. She had no option than to get married to the younger man," Joshua Kaputah from the Narok County Peace Association told the BBC.

Kaputah told the news outlet that the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic have increased cases of child marriages.

Continued below.
Kenyan 12-year-old girl married to 2 men within a month

From the article-


The girl's father forced her to marry a 51-year-old man and then a 35-year-old man.

A children's rights campaigner and government officials in Kenya rescued a 12-year-old girl whose father had married her off to two men within a month.

The girl's father in Narok County west of the capital Nairobi forced her to marry a 51-year-old man and then a 35-year-old man.

"The father gave her off to the elderly man to be married. She had no option than to get married to the younger man," Joshua Kaputah from the Narok County Peace Association told the BBC.

Kaputah told the news outlet that the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic have increased cases of child marriages.

Continued below.
Kenyan 12-year-old girl married to 2 men within a month

tion, becoming a wife: 'I knew I was 11. I knew he was 20.'[/URL]

Sounds like something you would hear about in KY. I live here so I guess it's OK to make fun of the state. Lol

 

[Arc F1]

There are only two states in the USA that outlaw marriage of a girl under the age of 18. In Missouri, a little girl as young as 15 can be legally married off. In all of Kenya, it is illegal to marry little girls.

There for a long time it was the women going after little boys. I don't know what's wrong with people anymore.

 

[Michie]

From the BBC-


How common is underage marriage in Kenya?

Marrying off underage girls has been an issue of concern among the Maasai community who inhabit Narok County, says the BBC's Peter Mwai in Nairobi.

He adds that Maasai girls tend to be viewed by men in charge of households as wealth, and are married off to a man chosen by the father in exchange for cattle.

The government has been cracking down on the tradition but it still thrives partly due to poor enforcement of existing laws.

Has anyone been arrested?
Kenya's Standard newspaper reports that after the first groom offered four cows as a dowry, the girl protested against getting married but was then beaten up by her male cousins.

"I escaped and since I could not go back to my father's home for fear of being reprimanded, I eloped with a 35-year-old man, who was married," she is quoted as saying in the Standard.

Mr Kaputah said that the girl's father had then found her and taken her back to the 51-year-old.

When Mr Kaputah arrived with government officials, the man had already disappeared.

Police are searching for the father and the two men who had married the girl, who have all gone into hiding, local media report.

If convicted, they could be sent to prison for up to five years and/or be fined of up to 1 million Kenyan shillings (£8,000; $10,000).

Twelve-year-old girl married to two men in a month

 

[BryanJohnMaloney]

From the BBC-


How common is underage marriage in Kenya?

Marrying off underage girls has been an issue of concern among the Maasai community who inhabit Narok County, says the BBC's Peter Mwai in Nairobi.

He adds that Maasai girls tend to be viewed by men in charge of households as wealth, and are married off to a man chosen by the father in exchange for cattle.

The government has been cracking down on the tradition but it still thrives partly due to poor enforcement of existing laws.

Has anyone been arrested?
Kenya's Standard newspaper reports that after the first groom offered four cows as a dowry, the girl protested against getting married but was then beaten up by her male cousins.

"I escaped and since I could not go back to my father's home for fear of being reprimanded, I eloped with a 35-year-old man, who was married," she is quoted as saying in the Standard.

Mr Kaputah said that the girl's father had then found her and taken her back to the 51-year-old.

When Mr Kaputah arrived with government officials, the man had already disappeared.

Police are searching for the father and the two men who had married the girl, who have all gone into hiding, local media report.

If convicted, they could be sent to prison for up to five years and/or be fined of up to 1 million Kenyan shillings (£8,000; $10,000).

Twelve-year-old girl married to two men in a month

It is very important to you to portray Black people as being somehow lesser beings, why is that?

 

[Michie]

It is very important to you to portray Black people as being somehow lesser beings, why is that?

Nobody is doing that. Stop with the attitude.

 

[HannahT]

It is very important to you to portray Black people as being somehow lesser beings, why is that?

The story speaks of a tragic story of a young lady whom was powerless under her circumstance. There are many parts of the world that treat young girls this way, and it's wrong. It's evil in fact. It's not just Africa - you have to know this.

If stories can't bring these realities out into the open so hopefully CHANGE in attitudes and enforcement of laws are encouraged? Nothing will change for these girls.

These girls are forced into poverty because of this, and at times suffer medical conditions from giving birth to early for their body...and abandoned due to this. They are at higher risk of domestic violence, and rape. Their lives are miserable, and there is no one to speak for them.

Making it illegal in this part of the world does nothing if they don't enforce this law. We shouldn't speak of this type of thing due to the color of her skin or her origin of the crime? Nonsense. She is a human being, and deserves to be treated as one.

 

[Michie]

The story speaks of a tragic story of a young lady whom was powerless under her circumstance. There are many parts of the world that treat young girls this way, and it's wrong. It's evil in fact. It's not just Africa - you have to know this.

If stories can't bring these realities out into the open so hopefully CHANGE in attitudes and enforcement of laws are encouraged? Nothing will change for these girls.

These girls are forced into poverty because of this, and at times suffer medical conditions from giving birth to early for their body...and abandoned due to this. They are at higher risk of domestic violence, and rape. Their lives are miserable, and there is no one to speak for them.

Making it illegal in this part of the world does nothing if they don't enforce this law. We shouldn't speak of this type of thing due to the color of her skin or her origin of the crime? Nonsense. She is a human being, and deserves to be treated as one.

But somehow for posting this important story, I see black people or those in Africa as subhuman beasts.

 

[Radagast]

In Missouri, a little girl as young as 15 can be legally married off.

In Missouri, the minimum age for marriage is currently 16 (and 16-year-olds are not allowed to marry anyone 21 or older).

 

[BryanJohnMaloney]

In Missouri, the minimum age for marriage is currently 16 (and 16-year-olds are not allowed to marry anyone 21 or older).

My error. Okay, LITTLE GIRLS still can have hillbilly weddings in Missouri if they're 16

 

[BryanJohnMaloney]

The story speaks of a tragic story of a young lady whom was powerless under her circumstance. There are many parts of the world that treat young girls this way, and it's wrong. It's evil in fact. It's not just Africa - you have to know this.

If stories can't bring these realities out into the open so hopefully CHANGE in attitudes and enforcement of laws are encouraged? Nothing will change for these girls.

These girls are forced into poverty because of this, and at times suffer medical conditions from giving birth to early for their body...and abandoned due to this. They are at higher risk of domestic violence, and rape. Their lives are miserable, and there is no one to speak for them.

Making it illegal in this part of the world does nothing if they don't enforce this law. We shouldn't speak of this type of thing due to the color of her skin or her origin of the crime? Nonsense. She is a human being, and deserves to be treated as one.

It also happens in the USA. But that's not worthy of posting, right?

 

[HannahT]

It also happens in the USA. But that's not worthy of posting, right?

There is nothing stopping you from posting one. Asking someone else to NOT post it just due to the country of origin isn't making your point.

There shouldn't be a deflection here. Forcing child brides to be married, and used in this fashion is evil not matter where it is happening. I think I made my opinion very clear on that.

I don't understand your objection to it. There shouldn't be one unless you can think of an acceptable version of forced child marriages. I doubt either of us could.

 

[Radagast]

There shouldn't be one unless you can think of an acceptable version of forced child marriages. I doubt either of us could.

There is, of course a difference between underage marriage and forced underage marriage.

Most US jurisdictions that permit underage marriage require a judge to verify that there is no coercion and that marriage is in the best interest of the minor(s) involved.

 

[HannahT]

There is, of course a difference between underage marriage and forced underage marriage.

Most US jurisdictions that permit underage marriage require a judge to verify that there is no coercion and that marriage is in the best interest of the minor(s) involved.

I would say in most cases. We can't say all because it's impossible to know all dynamics when it comes to forced underage marriage. Your point is valid still!

Yet the story posted was coercion, and no one works to change it. People claim its cultural, but the government isn't helping matters in that area so to me it's not changing. Writing a law does nothing if you don't enforce it. Education isn't enough if resources aren't there to help. In many areas of the world you don't have the true commitment. Heck there isn't even enough meat to chew on to start!

I remember many years ago working at a factory, and two girls worked there that had moved into our state recently. They were leaving their old lives behind after their parents allowed them to marry at the age of 13. I was YOUNG and naive and I asked them how you could do that? Their folks signed the papers. I just couldn't imagine parents doing that, or the state allowing it. I get home from work, and called my mother. She sent me straight! She reminded me of history, and how it wasn't all that uncommon way back when. How when she was almost 22? She - herself - was almost an 'old maid' - or by some already was. (I was by that standard WAS, returned on my honeymoon 25)I honestly felt laws allowing that had vanished, but apparently not. You could have knocked me over with a feather. Most in my generation had to do with pregnancy at that point (unplanned of course) during that period to make the marriage 'more' acceptable, but certainly not all as I looked at my co-workers - we were all both about 20 age range at that point. They were childless.

Once upon a time in this country - and many others - that was not all that uncommon. Then education and change happened. No need to go into specific dynamics there. Most of the areas started to go with it. Then you had areas - like appalachia (just one example) that resources/education lacked, and it might have been MORE uncommon in the past yet still not unheard of. Where in my neighborhood it would be unheard of - their neighborhood they were some that still went with the ways of the past. Both - depending on the areas of living - were accepted. Where they were from (appalachia), and things still haven't moved along that much and I would bet still to this day. It might not be 13 - but maybe 16 now. The dynamics didn't change much, but the age might have. I have no doubt 13 still happens, but is not legally recognized back in the hallows until 16. (My brother's church still does missionary work there, and people can't imagine the poverty to this day). Yet everyone but the government acknowledges it until that age factor comes into play. Once they hit 16? All is good *eye rolls* Poverty and many of the risks that the young lady in the story plays out. Maybe the NOT the cattle part, but ignorance of the harm done is still alive and well. Although young ladies would have much more rights here than in many countries that allowed marriage at this age. Heck even back then they got more than than the young lady in the article has. It wasn't much but huge in the presence of standing in the eyes of the countries legal system. They were never dragged back to marry someone else, and they left their area before the legal age. Our state wasn't their first stop. lol Yes, that blew me away to when I was maybe 19 I think?! They left I think at 16 if memory serves.

I'm old at this point, and my mother has died some years ago. I still wonder what happened to them. I decided to gain a skill and work at the same time, and left that factory after a while. One of those girls wanted to do the same thing, and with her drive? No doubt she did. I just hope her friend followed her lead.

Their positions in life were awful, but not the same as to many stories we hear to this day about other parts of the world. That's NOT to say people don't suffer greatly. That's kind of a no duh - as we put it here - type of circumstance. If I can be really unchristian about that girl's family in the story linked? It makes me so angry I hope they got hung out to dry - as the saying goes. Their just deserts handed to them - another saying - for ruining a young child's life for their own gain. No one should allow a child that young to marry today, or when I was younger. Most of the time you are handing over misery, and we can do better as a human race.

 

[SoldierOfTheKing]

In Kenya, marrying someone who is under 18 years of age is a crime. It's illegal there.

What the law says, and what the customs of the people are, can be two very different things.