The Culture of Legalized Pedophilia Called Child Brides

Yemen officials are denying the death of an 8 year old child bride on her wedding night.

Officials in the town of Meedi, in northwest Yemen where the incident occurred have denied that it ever happened. Two Meedi residents confirmed that it did happen and that tribal chiefs attempted to prevent it from being reported, according to BBC.

I first posted this story on Sept 8th.

Human Rights worker Arwa Othman said that 8 year old Rawan bled to death after consummating her marriage to a 40 year old man. She was taken to a clinic suffering from bleeding and a ruptured uterus. They were unable to save her.

Today, the European Union's foreign policy chief, Baroness Catherine Ashton, said that she had been "appalled" by reports of the girl's death. Yemeni authorities agreed to investigate the “allegations”.

Yemen's human rights minister Hooria Mashhour, has asked parliament to pass a law setting a minimum age for marriage. Few people, however, think it will happen, and even if it does, it is unlikely to be enforced with any enthusiasm. Such a law would be considered an attack on culture, religion, and tradition and would be politically disastrous.

Some prominent Islamic clerics, however, have come out against such marriages. This is a good thing, although it will probably take generations to undue the culture of legalized pedophilia called child brides.