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In many places all over the world marriage is viewed as a financial
transaction. Women are treated as property, and bartered for like livestock,
even being used to settle debts. Often times these women are underage and have
no choice in their marriages. Women are assigned value based on their age,
beauty, education, virginity, among many other things. Poverty is often a driving
factor in these financial marriages. According to the
New York Times About 1 in 7 girls
in the developing world (excluding China) gets married before her 15th birthday”
Sometimes girls are married off very young and sent to live with their in-laws
and act as a servant, until they reach puberty, when they will consummate the marriage.
Girls who find themselves in these marriages often face abuse at the hands of
their husbands and in-laws. Often these young girls’ bare children before their
bodies are ready, often ending in fatalities. The
World Population Foundation says “Pregnancy, and its complications is a leading cause of death for young women aged 15 to 19.”
A few years ago there was a
court case about a Triqui Indian
man in Greenfield, California, who allegedly sold his 14 year old daughters
hand in marriage to her 18 year old suitor for $16,000 and over 100 cases of
beer and meat. The Father, Marcelino de Jesus Martinez was charged with human trafficking.
The high profile case was significant because it could set a precedent for
future cases dealing with bride selling. Paying a bride price is custom in indigenous
Mexican communities. Bride selling is said to reduce break ups, due to the
added value of the wife “"It is so the man gives value to his wife and so he won't easily leave her for another woman."”
Even
though bride selling is a traditional native custom, it is still a form of human
trafficking. Not all traditions are good traditions. These women are treated as property and are
unable to leave their situations. Selling another person is a clear violation
of human rights.
With agreeing with the statement not all traditions are good traditions as listed above, it is as well not right to tell a culture their way of beings for many years is not acceptable. Nations around the world are able and may disagree with how our country is ruined and the traditions we practice.
ReplyDeleteHowever regarding the high profile case in Greenfield, California I believe when traditions conflict with the law then actions of resolution should be taken and enforced.
When dealing with other countries traditions it often becomes a sticky situation. I agree totally that selling another person is a violation of human rights, but the issue of "tradition" is complicated. It must be clear that by disagreeing with this tradition we aren't insulting their culture as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Although this act of "selling brides" is a tradition, it must be stopped. It should never be acceptable to sell a person. Are there any foundations/organizations known that try and help these women? is so, how? Because I find it very hard to try and change tradition or other people's culture, especially if it isn't your own.
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ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you; that although selling brides is a apart of tradition and culture, it counts as a form of human trafficking.I think that this tradition can be found in many cultures all over the world whether it be child brides in polygamous groups to arranged marriages in India. Although tradition may be used as an excuse does that still excuse these distressing acts?
ReplyDeleteFor the commenters above, Is it more important to worry about disrupting a cultural tradition or stopping something that is ethically inhumane? I believe that, although tricky, there are ways of educating on the dangers of selling brides(especially pre-pupubesant) without insulting the culture.
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ReplyDeleteIf these marriages aren't considered a form of slavery then I strongly believe people need to evaluate what they consider is slavery. These children are sold against their will as labor and sex for a profit that they usually do not see a penny of. These girls are used as servants until they can be used for concubines and no one is concerned with the dangerous risk that comes with having a baby, especially when the mother is young and her body is not fully developed. These young women are forced to risk their lives and do not get a say in the matter. These marriages are not out of love and exploit the same components that are exploited in modern day slaves - their labor and their bodies.
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