Happily Ever After: True or False

TV in America glamorize weddings with three tiered cakes and overly expensive dresses,In the U.S. and many other countries, weddings are seen as a large celebrations and are one of the biggest events in a women's life.

In Syria, nine-year old Arwan was sold by her father for two thousand dollars to a 49-year old stranger.There wasn't an engagement or excitement.Just a little girl frightened to leave her family,left to endure years of sexual and physical abuse by a stranger.

The combination of extreme poverty,crime and unrest, has caused an environment that could be considered a breeding ground for child marriages in many Middle Eastern and African countries.With many families being in such excessive debt it's not uncommon for fathers to sell their daughters to older men for forgiveness of the family debt.Even in areas that normally would not practice child marriage, it is encouraged as a way to pay off debt and rid the family of burden.What could be considered even more revolting is the fact that many families participate in child marriage as a way to bring in extra income to the household.

In some countries, individuals practice an Islamic tradition called Siqueh, which are temporary marriages,These "temporary marriages" are just another name for child prostitution, where young girls are lured away from their homes into domestic and sexual slavery.As rape and sexual assault are rampant in these areas as well, many times girls have to return to their abusers and marry them, as a way to protect their families' honor.

The harmful effects that result in these marriages are not to be ignored.Since early marriage many times lead to early childbirth,it causes many maternal health complications along with mental stress.It increases the possibility of disease or tissue damage and complications during delivery.According to one report by UNICEF approximately 70,000 girls between the ages of 15-19 die each year during pregnancy or childbirth in these areas.Babies born to underage girls are 60 percent more likely to die before the age of one than babies born to women over the age of 19(unicef.org).

Since there are no laws in these countries that childhood marriages are deemed illegal, the act will just continue to increase.Millions of young girls will be thrust away from one potentially harmful environment to another.the chances of a promising future are not likely for girls who had to leave school in order to be married off to an older man.In fact, if the current trend continues 140 million girls will become child brides in the year 2020, just five years from now.The facts are ominous and the circumstances are dire.But as we've seen with every other issue that plagues these areas, no situations can improve if war continues and if the citizens are in a desperate state of mind.The happily ever after for these young girls is merely a fairy-tale.