8 Year old girl is raped to death by middle aged man her parents sold her to.

[Viking]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2415871/Yemeni-child-bride-8-dies-internal-injuries-night-forced-marriage-groom-40.html

I know this is in the mail, but this is free of commentary and the bashing of the fuzzy wuzzies. The thing is that this custom has religious and tribal sanction. This is normal in this place, though it seems 8 is at the lower end of the age range. I also observe that Yemei law as it is explained explicitly is in breach of the UN convention of Human Rights when it prevents the girl from being free to choose her own husband. This is one of those stories that I can't get angry about because I don't think I can muster the kind of rage that this deserves. I just feel sad and disappointed.

This doesn't seem to be a report of the actual event, but rather of the reaction of yemeni womens rights activists to this. This marriage was reported in the news a few weeks ago and was still carried out.

Yemeni child bride, eight, dies of internal injuries on first night of forced marriage to groom five times her age
'Rawan' died in the tribal area of Hardh, which borders Saudi Arabia
Activists have called for groom and family to be arrested over her death
One activist: 'Groom is an animal who deserved to be punished severely'

An eight-year-old child bride has died in Yemen of internal bleeding sustained during her wedding night after being forced to marry a man five times her age, activists have claimed.
The girl, identified only as Rawan, died in the tribal area of Hardh in northwestern Yemen, which borders Saudi Arabia.
Activists are now calling for the groom, who is believed to be around 40 years old, and her family to be arrested so they can face justice in the courts.

They say arrests would help put a stop to the practice of marrying very young girls to older men in the impoverished region.

Angry Man, a blogger, posted that the man was 'an animal who deserved to be punished severely for his crime'.

'All those who supported such a crime should also be punished,' he added.
Another blogger, called Omar, wrote: 'Rawan's family members are not humans. They do not deserve to have children.'

But another blogger, called 'Sad', appeared more sympathetic to the custom. He wrote: 'Her family and her groom could have waited for some time before having this marriage,' Sad said.
'It was not fair at all and the marriage should not have happened even if some tribes believe that it is a good custom.'
The practice of marrying young girls is widespread in Yemen and has attracted the attention of international rights groups seeking to pressure the government to outlaw child marriages.
Yemen's gripping poverty plays a role in hindering efforts to stamp out the practice, as poor families find themselves unable to say no to 'bride-prices' that can be hundreds of dollars for their daughters.
More than a quarter of Yemen's females marry before age 15, according to a report in 2010 by the Social Affairs Ministry.
Tribal custom also plays a role, including the belief that a young bride can be shaped into an obedient wife, bear more children and be kept away from temptation.
In September 2010, a 12-year-old Yemeni child-bride died after struggling for three days in labour to give birth, a local human rights organisation said.
Yemen once set 15 as the minimum age for marriage, but parliament annulled that law in the 1990s, saying parents should decide when a daughter marries.

[Syt]

I read that on German language sites, but it appears that Yemeni authorities deny that this incidence occurred?

That said, the child marriage customs in that part of the world are reprehensible to say the least.

[KRonn]

Even if it didn't happen it's bringing more notice and response to the issue of women's rights for this kind of issue and many others facing girls and women.

[The Minsky Moment]

Henry VII's mother was 12 at the age of conception, 13 at the age of birth.
It almost killed the 2 of them, and she never had another a child.

[Viking]

Henry VII's mother was 12 at the age of conception, 13 at the age of birth.
It almost killed the 2 of them, and she never had another a child.

Yes, the problem is that the 12 year old is 50% older than that other girl.

[Grallon]

More 3rd World charms for the fans of multiculturalism *sneer*




G.

[derspiess]

Yup.  I'd like to hear what my old "multiculturalism at any cost" Sociology prof would have had to say about this. 

[Viking]

Henry VII's mother was 12 at the age of conception, 13 at the age of birth.
It almost killed the 2 of them, and she never had another a child.

You're saying Moslems are worse than medieval? That's pretty racist.

One of the defenses muslim apologists give for the evil in their book is that it is just as bad as the old testament. Same logic applies. Going Medieval or Going Old Testament on somebody are euphemisms for being violent and sadistic. So yes, it is as bad as the old testament and here it manages to be worse than the middle ages.

[merithyn]

When these laws are demanded to be in affect in the US or Canada, you'll have an argument against multiculturalism. Until then, I accept that there is good in bad in every culture, and I will be happy to accept the good.

[The Brain]

When these laws are demanded to be in affect in the US or Canada, you'll have an argument against multiculturalism. Until then, I accept that there is good in bad in every culture, and I will be happy to accept the good.

And the good in this bad is what?

[Malthus]

When these laws are demanded to be in affect in the US or Canada, you'll have an argument against multiculturalism. Until then, I accept that there is good in bad in every culture, and I will be happy to accept the good.

And the good in this bad is what?

Yemen, distant land of poverty, becomes a go-to destination for pedophiles? 

[Viking]

When these laws are demanded to be in affect in the US or Canada, you'll have an argument against multiculturalism. Until then, I accept that there is good in bad in every culture, and I will be happy to accept the good.

So you think it is ok for little girls to be married off and raped at 8? Seriously, this is ok if their culture says it is ok?

This is how you get the rotten idea that for the most part only countries where human rights are respected get condemned for human rights abuse by anybody other than the US State Department and the better international human rights groups.

[Malthus]

When these laws are demanded to be in affect in the US or Canada, you'll have an argument against multiculturalism. Until then, I accept that there is good in bad in every culture, and I will be happy to accept the good.

So you think it is ok for little girls to be married off and raped at 8? Seriously, this is ok if their culture says it is ok?

This is how you get the rotten idea that for the most part only countries where human rights are respected get condemned for human rights abuse by anybody other than the US State Department and the better international human rights groups.

That isn't what she said. 

Seriously.

[Barrister]

The story, of course is terrible.

The only good thing I can think to say is that even in Yemen and Afghanistan child marriages are "controversial" at best.  They are also countries with extremely weak rule of law.  They are probably no more representative of the wider islamic world than the child marriages in Mormon polygamous communities are representative of the West.

[Jacob]

So you think it is ok for little girls to be married off and raped at 8? Seriously, this is ok if their culture says it is ok?

Come on grallon, even for you that's a ridiculous straw man.