An 8-Year-Old Bride

in Iran, tens of thousands of children are still being forced into marriages. In fact, according to official Iranian statistics, 180,000 child marriages take place there each year. As many marriages can be performed by a Shia Sheikh without the need to register them with the government, the unofficial number is doubtless higher; in this way, many marriages of girls under 10 years old take place. Besides the physical and sexual abuse endured by little girls forced into marriage, many also encounter emotional abuse.

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