If 8 Can Marry, 8 Can File For Divorce

Posted by PZ Myers at 6:00 AM on April 14, 2008.

An 8-year-old in Yemen files for divorce, citing abuse.

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Nojoud Muhammed Nasser

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Here's the story of a young Yemeni lady filing for divorce from her abusive husband.

"My father beat me and told me that I must marry this man, and if I did not, I would be raped and no law and no sheikh in this country would help me. I refused but I couldn't stop the marriage," Nojoud Nasser told the Yemen Times. "I asked and begged my mother, father, and aunt to help me to get divorced. They answered, 'We can do nothing. If you want you can go to court by yourself.' So this is what I have done," she said.

She's eight years old.

Tagged as: marriage, women's rights, divorce, yemen

PZ Myers is a biologist and associate professor at the University of Minnesota, Morris. He runs the science blog, Pharyngula.

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8 year old bride [Report this comment] Posted by: ciccio on Apr 14, 2008 9:11 AM Current rating: 5 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Today's update on the story. The husband insists that she is wife and nobody can do anything about it, it is in compliance with the laws and he will be damned if he lets her get her way. The parliament in Yemen has declined to outlaw child marriage, over the last three decades the average age of girls getting married has gone up from 10 to 14. What a good thing Yemen is an ally and not one of those fundamentalist hell-holes. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] samd11 [Report this comment] Posted by: samd11 on Apr 14, 2008 10:19 AM Current rating: 3 [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] How sad. Yet, we sexualize our 8 year olds in so called "Beauty Contests" and then feign shock when other cultures marry off their children to child molesters. This little Yemeni girl has more strength of character than we do. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » Moral equivalence bullspit. Posted by: ABetterFuture » RE: samd11 Posted by: progdem » RE: samd11 Posted by: Lauren Pedo's [Report this comment] Posted by: Denver Dem on Apr 14, 2008 11:58 AM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] Are there even any men in prison over there for paedophilia ? [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » RE: Pedo's Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN » RE: Pedo's Posted by: Denver Dem » Difference being... Posted by: ABetterFuture » RE: Pedo's Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN The bastard--if he loses his 8 year old wife to divorce or a Yemeni righteous raping/stoning... [Report this comment] Posted by: ABetterFuture on Apr 14, 2008 7:53 PM Current rating: Not yet rated [1 = poor; 5 = excellent] ...--may replace his eight year old ex with eight one-year-old's. So it goes in places mired in the 12-13th century, minus the West's demand for oil. [« Reply to this comment] [Post a new comment »] [Rate this comment: 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5] » Did you even read the story? Posted by: Pale_Green_Pants

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» Moral equivalence bullspit. Posted by: ABetterFuture

» RE: samd11 Posted by: progdem

» RE: samd11 Posted by: Lauren

» RE: Pedo's Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN

» RE: Pedo's Posted by: Denver Dem

» Difference being... Posted by: ABetterFuture

» RE: Pedo's Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN

» Did you even read the story? Posted by: Pale_Green_Pants

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» Moral equivalence bullspit. Posted by: ABetterFuture

» RE: samd11 Posted by: progdem

» RE: samd11 Posted by: Lauren

» RE: Pedo's Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN

» RE: Pedo's Posted by: Denver Dem

» Difference being... Posted by: ABetterFuture

» RE: Pedo's Posted by: AMERICAN VETERAN

» Did you even read the story? Posted by: Pale_Green_Pants