Rohingya Girls Forced into Dangerous Marriages in Malaysia
2023-12-26
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1The Rohingya girl from Myanmar wanted to do anything she could to provide some money for her parents and three younger siblings.
2They needed food.
3The 14-year-old and her family are members of the Muslim minority in Myanmar.
4The group is always in danger of attack by government forces and others there.
5Last year, the girl, M, agreed to marry a man in Malaysia who promised to send about $4,000 to her family.
6She and all the girls in this report are identified by only the first letter of their names for their safety.
7M told the Associated Press she was not ready for marriage.
8But she had an urgent need to help her family.
9Now, a year later in Kuala Lumpur, her 35-year-old husband rapes her almost every night.
10M's experience is not unusual, the AP reports.
11Many underage girls are now in Malaysia living in forced marriages to older men.
12The girls say conditions for Rohingya in Myanmar and refugee camps in Bangladesh were very bad.
13Soldiers and others were raping and killing people.
14Others had their homes burned and property stolen.
15Malaysia seemed like a possibility for a safer life.
16The AP interviewed 13 Rohingya for the report.
17All had arrived in Malaysia since 2022.
18The youngest girl was 13.
19They all say they feel like hostages.
20They are rarely permitted outside their homes.
21They say they are not prepared to be mothers. About half are pregnant and some have children already.
22The path to flee the refugee camps or Myanmar is dangerous.
23Some try crossing the Andaman Sea by boat although many die on the long trip.
24The United Nations said most Rohingya who survived the crossing this year were women and children.
25The people who take the girls on dangerous trips to Malaysia are called traffickers.
26The girls are crowded onto boats and vehicles for the trip.
27There is little food.
28The traffickers also rape and beat the girls.
29When M arrived in Malaysia, the man she was to marry called for the ceremony to take place at once.
30M was still bleeding from the rapes she suffered on her journey.
31A person who helps the Rohingya girls took her to a hospital for care.
32When M got home, she found out the man who was now her husband already had a wife and two children.
33M does not tell her parents what happened to her.
34She thinks it might cause her husband to stop sending monthly payments to her family.
35Another girl, D, is in the same situation.
36She is 13.
37She plays with a little toy whale as she talks.
38She wants to play outside or visit a market nearby.
39But, her husband does not permit her to leave the home.
40She is forced to have sex every day.
41She does not want a baby, but she knows there is a good chance she will get pregnant.
42"I want to run," D said.
43R is 16. She has a newborn.
44She is one of several girls in a building filled with child brides who now have their own children.
45You can hear the babies crying.
46She said life as a refugee in Bangladesh was difficult.
47But, as one of 11 children in her family, she was never lonely there.
48She had no one in Malaysia except her husband.
49She would be alone all day while he was at work.
50R gave birth recently.
51"When I saw my baby's face, I was happy, because now I have a friend," she told the AP.
52However, being a mother is not easy. She said she does not know how to be a mother.
53"I miss my mom," she said.
54"I want my parents."
55S is pregnant and homeless.
56Her Malaysian husband forced her to leave when he found out she was pregnant.
57Without a job, S walks the streets of Kuala Lumpur asking strangers for money.
58"I once dreamed of having a happy family," S says.
59"I don't dream much anymore."
60I'm Dan Friedell. And I'm Caty Weaver.
1The Rohingya girl from Myanmar wanted to do anything she could to provide some money for her parents and three younger siblings. They needed food. 2The 14-year-old and her family are members of the Muslim minority in Myanmar. The group is always in danger of attack by government forces and others there. 3Last year, the girl, M, agreed to marry a man in Malaysia who promised to send about $4,000 to her family. 4She and all the girls in this report are identified by only the first letter of their names for their safety. 5M told the Associated Press she was not ready for marriage. But she had an urgent need to help her family. 6Now, a year later in Kuala Lumpur, her 35-year-old husband rapes her almost every night. 7M's experience is not unusual, the AP reports. 8Many underage girls are now in Malaysia living in forced marriages to older men. 9The girls say conditions for Rohingya in Myanmar and refugee camps in Bangladesh were very bad. Soldiers and others were raping and killing people. Others had their homes burned and property stolen. Malaysia seemed like a possibility for a safer life. 10Difficult journey 11The AP interviewed 13 Rohingya for the report. All had arrived in Malaysia since 2022. The youngest girl was 13. They all say they feel like hostages. They are rarely permitted outside their homes. They say they are not prepared to be mothers. About half are pregnant and some have children already. 12The path to flee the refugee camps or Myanmar is dangerous. Some try crossing the Andaman Sea by boat although many die on the long trip. The United Nations said most Rohingya who survived the crossing this year were women and children. 13The people who take the girls on dangerous trips to Malaysia are called traffickers. The girls are crowded onto boats and vehicles for the trip. There is little food. The traffickers also rape and beat the girls. 14When M arrived in Malaysia, the man she was to marry called for the ceremony to take place at once. M was still bleeding from the rapes she suffered on her journey. A person who helps the Rohingya girls took her to a hospital for care. 15When M got home, she found out the man who was now her husband already had a wife and two children. M does not tell her parents what happened to her. She thinks it might cause her husband to stop sending monthly payments to her family. 16Pain and unwanted pregnancy 17Another girl, D, is in the same situation. She is 13. She plays with a little toy whale as she talks. She wants to play outside or visit a market nearby. But, her husband does not permit her to leave the home. She is forced to have sex every day. She does not want a baby, but she knows there is a good chance she will get pregnant. 18"I want to run," D said. 19R is 16. She has a newborn. She is one of several girls in a building filled with child brides who now have their own children. You can hear the babies crying. 20She said life as a refugee in Bangladesh was difficult. But, as one of 11 children in her family, she was never lonely there. She had no one in Malaysia except her husband. She would be alone all day while he was at work. 21R gave birth recently. "When I saw my baby's face, I was happy, because now I have a friend," she told the AP. 22However, being a mother is not easy. She said she does not know how to be a mother. 23"I miss my mom," she said. "I want my parents." 24S is pregnant and homeless. Her Malaysian husband forced her to leave when he found out she was pregnant. Without a job, S walks the streets of Kuala Lumpur asking strangers for money. 25"I once dreamed of having a happy family," S says. "I don't dream much anymore." 26I'm Dan Friedell. And I'm Caty Weaver. 27Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by the Associated Press. 28________________________________________________ 29Words in This Story 30bride -n. a word for the female in a traditional marriage 31We want to hear from you. What do you think of the difficulties faced by the girls?