Gee, what could account for this? What has changed in Spain since 2015?
“Alert: in the last six years forced marriages have increased in Spain by 60%,” translated from “Alerta: en los últimos seis años los matrimonios forzosos han aumentado en España un 60%,” by Cristina Aldaz, El Mundo, January 8, 2022:
The stepfather of Hannan Serroukh wanted to marry her off shortly before she was 15 years old. Now she is 47, she is a member of the Politeia Foundation, and she has been fighting for more than 30 years to prevent the same thing from happening to other girls in Spain. And it is true that in our country, forced marriages have increased by 60% since 2015.
Hannan Serroukh was born in Barcelona, the daughter of Moroccan parents who emigrated to Spain in the late 1960s. Her life, integrated into Spanish society, was happy until her father died. She then entered into a nightmare with consequences that have lasted to this day.
Her mother remarried another Moroccan, who, according to Hannah, used her to come to Spain. A follower of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood organization, her goal was not to work, as had been her parents, but to open a mosque in Figueras.
With her arrival, the lives of Hannan and her mother changed radically: music was banned in her house, they had to put on the hijab and stop associating with her Spanish friends. According to him, the girl was “very contaminated by the West,” Hannah recounts, “that’s why he felt I should marry a man from his faith.”
She reacted quickly: “He had made allusions to my past life and that made me decide to flee.” She left for Gerona and was found there by a train conductor, who led her to the police, and then she was admitted to a child protection center.
STUNNING FIGURES
With this flight, Hannan was able to avoid being the victim of a forced marriage, a practice that in Spain has increased by 60% since 2015 and that occurs in the world every 2 seconds, according to the international organization Plan. 14% of these forced unions are with girls under the age of 15, and only one in 3 has reached the age of 18.
In any case, and according to Hannan Serroukh, in our country the figures are confusing because few girls come to denounce this coercion. However, in Catalonia, the number of complaints has doubled since 2017 until today.
And it is true that, according to her, the imams of the mosques bless these marriages, which are often only registered in the country of origin of the girls’ parents until they turn 18, when they are registered here. “There have been cases of couples presenting themselves in public as uncle and niece, and yet form a marriage recognized by the imam,” says Hannan.
The areas of Spain most affected by this practice are, according to her, Catalonia, Valencia, some centers of the Basque Country, Fuenlabrada in Madrid and Algeciras in Andalusia.
How to run away
How should a girl act who is impelled by her own family to marry a man she does not even know? Serroukh says that she must undertake “a difficult path that nevertheless is worth it. She must approach the Security Forces in the best possible way, tell them about her situation and they will take care of her, since she will be protected by our institutions.”
“Everyone is the master of his/her own life and the shaper of his/her own future,” concluded Hannan, who was able to escape a forced marriage but had to pay a high price: she has not met her mother and siblings since.
somehistory says
There seem to be a few typos in this account…as “her” instead of “him.” which makes the reading a little difficult at first glance.
“Her mother remarried another Moroccan, who, according to Hannah, used her to come to Spain. A follower of the fundamentalist Muslim Brotherhood organization, her goal was not to work, as had been her parents, but to open a mosque in Figueras.
With her arrival, …”
It’s good that she escaped. This whole thing is so disgusting and never should be called “marriage.”
It is not marriage. It is more like prostitution where the *father* or *step-father* is a pimp and gets the money from the rape of a child who doesn’t get to decide what will happen to her. Daily rape of a child does not fit the definition of “marriage.”
The scum should be hung up by their heels over a pen full of adult male hogs who have not recently been fed.
Infidel says
Somehistory
I’d argue that if islam weren’t recognized as a religion, ‘nikah’ (which means ‘penetration’ in the process of sexual intercourse) would not be recognized as a legitimate marriage. If you or I were to start a religion whose rules allowed for polygyny, polyandry and polyamory, it would (rightly) run afoul of the law, and wouldn’t even be recognized as a religion. Unfortunately, due to the headstart that the Arabs had even in the 10th century (I tend to believe RS’ theory that islam was an invented religion created by committees in Baghdad and Buqhara), it’s hard to convince even our own side that it’s not a religion
And once it’s recognized as a religion, not recognizing its nikah system as a legitimate marriage system doesn’t arise, since constitutions don’t distinguish b/w ‘good’ and ‘bad’ religions, since it’s all in the eyes of the adherents in question
I’m surprised that I’ve jumped on this hobbyhorse like Terry Gain and others, but I realized that as long as islam is recognized as a religion, it will also be respected as a religion. Which is why Rebecca Bynum is right on target when she argues that islam ain’t one
Wellington says
Here’s the problem in a nutshell, Infidel: There are some religions which are evil but they’re still a religion. Where, after all, is it written that a religion cannot be evil? The Aztec religion was evil (human sacrifice, cannibalism, Aztec priests wearing capes made out of human skin, etc.), Satanism is evil, Islam is most definitely replete with wicked elements, and so on.
One constitutional and legal system after another in the West, certainly here in America whose legal system I know best because I am an American attorney, does not distinguish between good and bad religions. Satanism remains a protected religion in America under the First Amendment though this does not mean all its intended practices do (e.g., human sacrifice). Belief is absolute under the First Amendment but many actions upon certain belief systems are not.
I have long argued that Islam is indeed a religion but if only it would be overwhelmingly regarded as an evil religion this would be enough to marginalize it almost into oblivion. In short, the description is key, not the prohibition—and I’m not too keen on who is to decide which religions are good and can therefore exist and which religions are bad and therefore cannot exist.
somehistory says
In my opinion, based on the *definition* of religion, islam is. However, it’s truly one of the worst, most horrible and evil that has ever existed.
It can be fought successfully….if the practices are tackled separately from the definition.
Like taking a mind-altering drug, letting kids handle snakes, denying kids medical care, having multiple wives,…the disgusting things inside islam need to be charged against those practicing them…selling and raping of little girls, rape of little boys, mutilation of little girls and babies, to list some of them.
Recalling the idiot “judge” in NJ who ruled in favor of a male slime raping his wife…she objected in a court of law, expecting the law of the land to help her…because it was his *culture.* He was overruled as was right and just.
The pretend *doctor* in MI who sexually assaults and mutilates little girls, calling it snipping or some such, getting off due to a lack of a law written for this to be labeled a crime…as it is a crime…
If those elected to make laws, actually made some to address these things, and those elected/hired to prosecute, mozlums wouldn’t be getting by with so much of their foul, evil, demonic practices.
Wellington says
We have no disagreement as I see it, somehistory. As I wrote to Infidel, description is key, accurate characterization is paramount.
Going into the “business” of deciding what is a religion and what isn’t is fraught with many additional problems, virtually all of them inimical to liberty.
somehistory says
I agree, Wellington.
I wouldn’t want anyone to decide if my belief is a *religion* protected by the Constitution or was not and I could then be …who knows what.
I read once of a lone guy on a beach who said that sitting on the sand there and looking out over the ocean was his “church.” The court agreed with him.
It’s kind of like what is considered unprotected speech because it doesn’t meet the requirements…I believe there are four conditions that must be met to quality when it might otherwise be banned due to being “offensive.” One of them, if I recall correctly, it must have some benefit to the public.
You probably know more about that than I, but I believe that you will know of what I write. It’s also much like clothing…some people consider short-shorts and mini skirts to be bad, while others do not.
But, the average person, one with morals, anyway, can really see that islam is bad inside and out, without any redeemable qualities…if they have taken the trouble to look at it.
Wellington says
You know, somehistory, I have been encouraged how again and again an old agnostic like me and an old devout Christian like you can agree on so much. Gives me hope.
And yes, once you get into what is not a religion and what is a religion, you open a Pandora’s Box that will not be able to be closed. I certainly can see that Christianity, which I consider an enlightened religion with all kinds of positives, could eventually be effectively banned by Leftists galore (aided enthusiastically by Muslims down the long stretch) if they were only given the chance. Hell, it’s already happening courtesy of idiotic Leftthink.
The continued denigration (even killing, especially in Africa) of Christians throughout the world, including here in America, only helps to sustain my overall point here. Christianity is under attack worldwide and this in and of itself is dispositive of the upside-down world we now live in.
Best to you and yours, my friend. Take good care.
Infidel says
Wellington & Somehistory
On the law, you both are right. However, I recall an episode years ago on a Southern California radio talk show ‘John & Ken’, where they were discussing the story of a prisoner in the California prison system who claimed to follow a religion he had invented. That religion ‘required’ him to have a Chateaubriand meal every day, and the result was that the prison system had to provide it to him! Nobody in the prison system delved into the question of whether he was scamming them
I know where both of you are coming from, but recognize that none of these problematic aspects of islam will ever trump the constitution as long as they are recognized as being central islamic tenets. Be it polygamy, pedophilia, FGM or even jihad! The other problem that you have is that in the larger population beyond this site, most of the people who’d agree w/ you that a religion can be evil are hardcore atheists, who’d believe that not just about islam, but any number of other mainstream religions as well
gravenimage says
Good exchange, Wellington and Somehistory.
somehistory says
Yes, Wellington, we do agree on much Esp the value of Christian thinking, behavior and commands from Christ.
I may be “old” but I try to think “young” and my daughter often tells me that I am not old. I like to think of it as experienced in life and all that life expects of us.
Infidel,
I have often said that if islam was seen through the legal lens of RICO, it could be shrunk down to not much…if the prosecutors did their job correctly.
If I recall the lessons as taught, members of an organization that is criminal and corrupt can be arrested, charged, tried and sent to prison for more one year, even when the org itself is left intact.
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act …
https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/content/rico-act.html
“As used in this chapter (1) racketeering activity means (A) any act or threat involving murder, kidnapping, gambling, arson, robbery, bribery, extortion, dealing in obscene matter, ”
The book of filth they use to decide what to do, what not to do, how to live, etc. has much that is “obscene.” Many of the other “acts” described in the definition of RICO, fit mozlums and their daily routines.
Arrest, charge, try and sentence enough mozlums…..the results could be very satisfying, esp compared to what happens now.
James Lincoln says
Unfortunately, islam (technically) fits the definition of a religion.
That being said, I sincerely doubt that our forefathers – with their Judeo-Christian values – could have foreseen this.
Kenneth J Johnson says
All imans should be licensed and if Found to violate the law, the license should be revoked. The inman who advised a rape victimt to not go to the police, any inman who does not advise Muslims to register marriages with the authorities, etc, This will be a hard uphill battle, but one step in the right direction. KEN
gravenimage says
Spain: Forced marriages have increased by 60% since 2015, 14% involve girls under 15
……………
Gee, what’s changed in Spain in the last six years? Might it be…*Islam*?
And these are just the cases they know about. I’m sure there are many more of these horrors.
European pagan says
It’s good that this girls can get help in Europe – in their own countries it would be not possible.
OLD GUY says
Islam always brings bad things for women, child brides, rape of non islamic girls, forced marriages, beatings and slavery. And why does a non-islamic country want to open its borders to these abusive people? Islam is the destruction of society and brings nothing but cruelty to women and young girls.
Peter WF says
Muslim men have to get in early – https://statisticstimes.com/demographics/countries-by-sex-ratio.php
gravenimage says
Crazy statistics, Peter. Normal gender stats are always roughly equal–maybe a few more men or women in any given society, but always well within a couple of percentage points.
So how do you wind up with a popultion where men make up *twice* the number of women? Only one where there is a lot of female infanticide. So much for Islam claiming that they ended female infanticide.
And this makes the Islamic state of polygamy–with men taking up to four wives–even more insane. This means a great number of frustrated single men. No wonder dying in Jihad is so popular…