Divorce granted for 8 year old girl

[starchild]

Yemeni girl, 8, gets divorce after forced marriage

 

A Yemeni court on Tuesday granted a divorce to an eight-year-old girl whose unemployed father forced her into an arranged marriage this year, saying he feared she might be kidnapped.

"I am happy that I am divorced now. I will be able to go back to school," Nojud Mohammed Ali said, after a public hearing in Sanaa's court of first instance.

 

Her former husband, 28-year-old Faez Ali Thameur, said he married the child "with her consent and that of her parents" but that he did not object to her divorce petition.

 

In response to a question from Judge Mohammed al-Qadhi, he acknowledged that the "marriage was consummated, but I did not beat her."

 

Yemen, one of the world's poorest countries, has no law governing the minimum age of marriage.

 

Nojud was a second grader in primary school when the marriage took place two and a half months ago.

 

"They asked me to sign the marriage contract and remain in my father's house until I was 18. But a week after signing, my father and my mother forced me to go live with him."

 

Nojud's father, Mohammad Ali Al-Ahdal, said he had felt obliged to marry off his daughter, an act he claims she consented to.

 

He said he was frightened after his oldest daughter had been kidnapped several years ago and later married to her abductor. He said the same man then kidnapped another of his daughters who was already married and had four children, resulting in him being jailed.

 

Dressed in traditional black, Nojud said she would now go to live in the home of her maternal uncle and did not want to see her father.

 

The girl's lawyer, Shadha Nasser, said Nojud's case was not unique. "I believe there are thousands of similar cases," she said, adding that civil society groups are pressing parliament to set the minimum age for marriage at 18.

[BarefootBride]

wth? Its so sad. When I taught 3rd grade I had a kid from Yemen and his family didnt seem like the type to marry and screw an 8 year old! Thats ridiculous! Now I wonder if the poor girl will ever get married again? This is sick.

[starchild]

I know, the poor babygirl! I read somewhere else that she initially petitioned the judge on her own before getting the lawyer...what a brave and smart child!

[Jessica]

First, what a smart little girl for even going after a divorce. I think at 8 years old I would have felt stuck and not even thought of divorce.

 

Second, 28 years old. 28?!?! I just threw up in my mouth.

[Karen]

I really really hope that marriage wasn't consumated in any way.

[starchild]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucky k72 I really really hope that marriage wasn't consumated in any way.

I'm dusgusted to say it was:
Girl, 8, wins divorce after rape, abuse - Breaking News - World - Breaking News

...Thamer, who was briefly detained for questioning in April, was quoted Wednesday by a local independent English-language newspaper as saying he saw nothing wrong in being intimate with his wife.

"Yes, I was intimate with her, but I have done nothing wrong, as she is my wife and I have the right and no one can stop me," he told The Yemen Times. "But if the judge or other people insist that I divorce her, I will do it, it's OK."

Thamer is unlikely to be charged because Yemeni law does not recognise rape in a marriage.

It also doesn't provide for punishment if a marriage is consummated before a child-wife reaches puberty

[Allaballa]

Wow, I just don't get it. How can a man have any types of sexual feelings towards a CHILD and her parents letting this happen? Completely creepy

[edna]

Poor Little Girl.. I can't believe things like this happens!

[Celina]

OMG - this makes me sick. My heart aches for this little girl.

[Saraha]

Oh my god, the poor thing. I couldnt imagine that.