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| Yemeni child bride illustration |
A child bride died on the night of her wedding after having sex with her much older husband.
The 8-year-old child bride in Yemen has died from internal bleeding on the first night of her arranged marriage with a man who is five times her age.
In most of the world, sleeping with an 8-year-old would mean committing rape.
But in other countries, a man can pay a family to voluntarily hand over their young daughter. The man then marries the underage girl and is free to have sex with her as often as he wishes.
The girl, who was identified as Rawan, of the tribal area of Hardh in northwestern Yemen, died after having sex with her 40-year-old husband.
Activists are now calling for the groom to be arrested so that he can face justice in court. They said that arresting the groom might help end the practice of marrying young girls to older men.
The practice of marrying young girls to older men is widespread in Yemen and has drawn the attention of international rights groups seeking to pressure the government to outlaw child marriages.
Yemen's gripping poverty plays a large role in hindering efforts to end the practice, as poor families find themselves unable to say no to the “Bride price”, which can be hundreds of dollars for their young daughters.
More than a quarter of women in Yemen are married before age 15, according to a report published by the Ministry of Social Affairs.
Tribal customs also play a role, including the belief that a young bride can be shaped into an obedient wife, bear more children and be kept away from temptation.