Nadia and her savior: Her uncle who refused to let his niece be another statistic.
This is Nada Al-Ahdal. She is 11. Risking life and limb and acid in her face she has fled her home in hopes of being freed of the tradition of marrying young girls to much older, often abusive men. These children are forced into marriage, often for money for her family and forced to do all things her husband demands under penalty of physical violence and death.
Violence against women has only gotten worse as the world grows older. Much of this violence is backed by religious and traditional views. Much of it perfectly legal, and when it’s not law enforcement is rare. Why are the Gods of the world so angry at life giving woman? Why are men so afraid of the simple beauty of a woman’s strength?
Not that I think there is anyone left in the world who does not know about this horrible worldwide fact but here is some basic information provided by: http://www.endvawnow.org/en/
[Femicide
· In Guatemala, two women are murdered, on average, each day.
· In India, 8,093 cases of dowry-related death were reported in 2007; an unknown number of murders of women and young girls were falsely labeled ‘suicides’ or ‘accidents’.
· In Australia, Canada, Israel, South Africa and the United States, between 40 and 70 percent of female murder victims were killed by their intimate partners.
· In the State of Chihuahua, Mexico, 66 percent of murders of women were committed by husbands, boyfriends or other family members.
Violence and Young Women
· Worldwide, up to 50 percent of sexual assaults are committed against girls under 16.
· An estimated 150 million girls under the age of 18 suffered some form of sexual violence in 2002 alone.
· The first sexual experience of some 30 percent of women was forced. The percentage is even higher among those who were under 15 at the time of their sexual initiation, with up to 45 percent reporting that the experience was forced.
Harmful Practices
· Approximately 100 to 140 million girls and women in the world have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting, with more than 3 million girls in Africa annually at risk of the practice.
· Over 60 million girls worldwide are child brides, married before the age of 18, primarily in South Asia (31.3 million) and sub-Saharan Africa (14.1 million). Violence and abuse characterize married life for many of these girls. Women who marry early are more likely to be beaten or threatened, and more likely to believe that a husband might sometimes be justified in beating his wife.]
When will this end? What is the cause? Why isn't anyone paying attention? When did women become a nuisance, an outcast, a second or third class citizen? Why do we cast them aside and hurt them? What the fuck is going on in the world? And why would any God support this?
Thank you for being so strong Nadia. I thank your uncle for the same. Your passion and your plea have been heard. Now, we fight for the girls and women still waiting to be saved.
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