Girls as young as nine sold for sex in temporary ‘pleasure marriages by Muslim leaders
YOUNG Iraqi girls are being sold for temporary “pleasure marriages” that can last a little as an hour, it has been reported. Shia clerics were secretly filmed making this disturbing offer to men, who are usually banned from having sex outside marriage, to pay a dowry for an interim wife. One cleric claimed it would […]
YOUNG Iraqi girls are being sold for temporary “pleasure marriages” that can last a little as an hour, it has been reported.
Shia clerics were secretly filmed making this disturbing offer to men, who are usually banned from having sex outside marriage, to pay a dowry for an interim wife.
One cleric claimed it would be “no problem at all” to marry girls as young as nine under Islamic law, a BBC documentary has revealed.
The practice is currently banned in Iraq, but eight out of 10 clerics who were approached were willing to carry it out.
One even offered to help find young girls, the BBC News investigation found.
The religious rite dates back hundreds of years and was partly intended to allow men to have a legitimate relationship while away from their wives.
Now Iraqi men and clerics are abusing it to giving legitimacy to child prostitution.
One cleric told the undercover BBC journalist in Karbala that girls as young as young could be subject to the temporary marriage.
When he was asked if it was acceptable to conduct temporary marriage with a child he said: “According to Sharia, there’s no problem.”
‘THAT’S BETWEEN YOU AND HER’
When the reporter voiced concerns over exploiting the girl, the cleric replied: “No way.”
Another cleric who was secretly filmed was asked if a temporary marriage with a 13-year-old girl would be permissible under Islamic law.
The cleric replied by disturbingly suggesting other sex acts when he said: “Just be careful she doesn’t lose her virginity.”
When he was asked about the girl getting hurt, the cleric said: “That’s between you and her.”
In the same documentary, a second cleric also offered to help find young girls as well as conducting the marriages.
Later in the same documentary, that second cleric offered to help procure the girls as well as conducting the marriages.
He offered to take a photo of a girl and send it to the undercover journalist.
SICK PRACTICE
He then said: “Then when you come back, she’s yours.”
That same cleric also added: “She was willing and you paid her.”
The length of the temporary marriage must be specified in advance and can last from anything from one hour to 99 years.
Some girls said clerics provided them with contraceptive injections to ensure they didn’t get pregnant.
The practice is not permitted under Sunni Islam and was banned under Saddam Hussein’s Sunni-led government.
The practice flourished in the wake of the 2003 invasion as the country’s new government struggled to establish its authority and Shia cleric’s influence grew.
One girl heartbreakingly said she couldn’t remember how many times she had been “married” and that she relied the dowries for her income.
Young women also fear that losing their virginity in a temporary marriage will prevent them from being able to find a permanent husband in the future.
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One 14-year-old victim said she feared what would happen if a future husband found out she was not a virgin.
An Iraqi government spokesman said there was little authorities could do if girls did not raise it with police.
They told the BBC: “If women don’t go to the police with their complaints against clerics, it’s difficult for the authorities to act.”
- Undercover With The Clerics – Iraq’s Secret Sex Trade is on BBC iPlayer
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