Journalist Stands by Claim of an 8-Year-Old Child Bride Killed by Wedding Night Sex
At this point, it is unclear what exactly happened to “Rawan.” She may have never existed — Ahmad Al Qurishi, the head of SEYAJ Organisation for Childhood Protection said that sometimes “people create these stories to get publicity and attention and aid from international organizations” — but the integrity and investigative prowess of the local Yemeni authorities is far from dependable.
Azzani, who allegedly spoke with the girl and her father, could be lying, or the girl’s family could have brought another young girl to his office to quell suspicions, wanting to avoid a criminal inquiry. The fact that there is not a record at the hospital also means little, since she may never have been taken to the hospital.
Whatever the case, it does not mean that the practice of marrying off young girls to older men is not a widespread issue in much of the world.
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