"shotgun" weddings.
"Grooms Who Marry in Fear"
March 21, 2005
danielpipes.org
"Grooms Who Marry in Fear" We're all accustomed to the idea of Muslim girls, even those living in the West, being forced into marriage. This is the subject of much discussion, especially in Europe. Perhaps the fullest account of this problem is found in the 2003 study by Hege Storhaug, Feminin integrering (translated into English by Bruce Bower as Human Visas). One notable result was the joint launching in Great Britain (by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Home Office) of the "Forced Marriage Unit" in January 2005.
Today, Stewart Tendler of The Times (London) informs us that more than one third of forced marriages in Great Britain may involve reluctant men. Specifically, the Council of British Pakistanis estimates that this is the case in 38 per cent of forced marriages. Parents might have promised the boys even before their births; or arrangements are made with the parents of girl cousins so as to keep property within a single family. Tendler goes on:
There have also been cases where parents are concerned that their sons are gay, straying into bad company, becoming involved in crime or are going out with a woman from outside the community. Foreign Office officials say that in some cases the men are deceived into flying to India, Pakistan or Bangladesh to see relatives. They find themselves stranded in a rural village, their passports are taken from them and they are placed under extraordinary pressure. British High Commission staff have managed to rescue men after they manage to make contact. In one case, a young man was allowed to go shopping and was then picked up by diplomats waiting in a car.
"There is also the risk of being killed by the girl's relatives," said Huma Awan, who drew up research for the council. "They have access to guns and honour killings have happened in Britain." Police say that sons may find themselves being attacked by their fathers, brothers and uncles and there is also great emotional pressure.
As police investigate this problem, they face the usual difficulty that the victims - some of them abducted, intimidated, or beaten – are unwilling to give evidence against their families. Home Office officials are thinking about opening a refuge for bridegrooms.
Comment: The existence of this issue means there is yet one more obstacle to the successful integration of Muslims in Western countries. It prompts this observer to wonder how many more such issues lie hidden from view. (March 21, 2005) |
