Say NO to Child Marriages

Eight Year Old Bride Dies In Yemen

There is no end to the abuse of girls and women across the world.  It happens on a daily basis.  What is even more heart rending and heart-breaking is Child marriages.  Just a few days ago an eight girl from Yemen became another victim of Child Marriage.

The eight year old girl identified as Rawan died from internal bleeding after intercourse that ruptured her uterus on her wedding night.  Her husband was five times her age.

Yemen authorities say they are investigating the girl’s death and will prosecute those responsible.  No action as yet being taken against the man responsible for the child’s death.

The incident has caused international outrage, but will it be enough to bring about laws to protect children from Child Marriages?  Governments in countries where Child Marriage is practiced over the years have only made halfhearted attempts to enforce laws to stop the practice.  While they take a lackadaisical approach, the children continue to suffer.

Parents who subject their children to this kind of sexual slavery must be held accountable.  It must not continue to go on.  These girls are robbed of their childhood; forced to take on adult responsibilities of cooking , cleaning, bedding grown men and enduring agonizing sex.  A child’s body is not ready for intercourse.  Like Rawan some will die from internal injuries, others will die giving birth.

None of us can say we know what Rawan must have endured.  We can only imagine the agonizing pain she must have suffered.  We can only imagine how much she must have cried out in agony while this monster, this sorry excuse of a man ripped her body apart.  He took from her, her childhood , her innocence, her every hope dream and aspirations and her life.  What kind of a monster does this to a child?

Sleep well Rawan my dear sleep well. Free from sorrow, free from pain you are glory bound. Safe in the arms of the Savior who said ”Suffer little children to come on to me and forbid then not for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.”  Sleep well  Rawan in the arms of the Savior.  The angels in Heaven are weeping for all the children we are killing.