Tales of a child bride: My father sold me for 12 cows
by Marc Ellison, July 13, 2016.
When she was 12, Grace was abducted and then raped and beaten every day for 11 months.
So common are the practices of
abduction, rape and forced marriage of girls in northern Tanzania that a
single word is used to encapsulate them all: kupura. It is a word used
by people from the Sukuma tribe to describe the snatching of girls in
broad daylight as they walk to school; a three-syllabled euphemism that
downplays their long-term physical and sexual abuse.
abduction, rape and forced marriage of girls in northern Tanzania that a
single word is used to encapsulate them all: kupura. It is a word used
by people from the Sukuma tribe to describe the snatching of girls in
broad daylight as they walk to school; a three-syllabled euphemism that
downplays their long-term physical and sexual abuse.
And yet here in the region of Shinyanga, the practice
of kupura is validated by the oft-recited motto of Sukuma men: alcohol,
meat and vagina.
of kupura is validated by the oft-recited motto of Sukuma men: alcohol,
meat and vagina.
“This slogan is in their blood and a way of life,”
says Revocatus Itendelebanya. “These are the three things they feel
entitled to as men.”
says Revocatus Itendelebanya. “These are the three things they feel
entitled to as men.”
Itendelebanya, the legal and gender officer for the local NGO, Agape,
says this sense of entitlement, in what is a perennially patriarchal
society, also explains why passers-by don’t intervene when they witness
an abduction.
says this sense of entitlement, in what is a perennially patriarchal
society, also explains why passers-by don’t intervene when they witness
an abduction.
“When a Sukuma man is attracted to a girl he will
start asking people where she lives, and what her routine is,” explains
Itendelebanya.
start asking people where she lives, and what her routine is,” explains
Itendelebanya.
“Once he finds out these details he might wait for
her near the borehole – or whatever he thinks is the best place to get
that girl – and then grab her.”
her near the borehole – or whatever he thinks is the best place to get
that girl – and then grab her.”
Kupura
is so prevalent in the region that when a girl disappears, her parents
will suspect what has happened. But rather than calling the police, they
will seek the man out not to rescue their child, but to negotiate the
dowry – or bride price – in cattle.
is so prevalent in the region that when a girl disappears, her parents
will suspect what has happened. But rather than calling the police, they
will seek the man out not to rescue their child, but to negotiate the
dowry – or bride price – in cattle.
Cash cows
For daughters are sadly seen as a short-term
investment for poor, rural households – cash cows that can boost a
family’s financial position at the expense of a girl’s schooling and
wellbeing.
investment for poor, rural households – cash cows that can boost a
family’s financial position at the expense of a girl’s schooling and
wellbeing.
Such is the value placed on a girl’s head that
Itendelebanya says parents will take their daughters to a witch-doctor
if they are not attracting any suitors.
Itendelebanya says parents will take their daughters to a witch-doctor
if they are not attracting any suitors.
The ensuing samba ritual involves cutting cruciform
nicks into the girl’s chest and hands with a razor to not only help
cleanse her of her bad luck, but to make her more attractive to older
men.
nicks into the girl’s chest and hands with a razor to not only help
cleanse her of her bad luck, but to make her more attractive to older
men.
And if ever there was a poster child to highlight the pernicious effects of child marriage, it’s Grace Masanja.
“Bitterness still fills my heart when I look at
them,” she says, pointing at the cows grazing at the rear of her
family’s compound. For Grace they are a daily reminder of how she was
treated like cattle, a commodity to be bought and sold.
them,” she says, pointing at the cows grazing at the rear of her
family’s compound. For Grace they are a daily reminder of how she was
treated like cattle, a commodity to be bought and sold.
“But given what I went through, I sometimes wish I had been born a cow,” she whispers.
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| Grace was abducted after she refused to marry the older man to whom her father sold her [Marc Ellison/Al Jazeera] |
Her father had bartered a dozen cattle for his
daughter but, despite daily beatings with sticks and her father’s belt,
she still refused to marry the older man.
daughter but, despite daily beatings with sticks and her father’s belt,
she still refused to marry the older man.
But a deal had been made; a dowry had been paid.
And so it was that Grace was abducted on motorbike by her betrothed early one morning – all with the complicity of her father. That night, and every day for the next 11 months, she was raped and beaten. She was only 12.
“That day felt like the end of everything,” Grace recalls, glancing again at the cattle.
A country of contradictions
When it comes to child marriage, Tanzania was until very recently a country of contradictions.
The 1971 Marriage Act set the minimum age of marriage
for girls at 15 with parental consent – but a girl of 14 could wed
where judicial approval was given.
for girls at 15 with parental consent – but a girl of 14 could wed
where judicial approval was given.
And while the 2009 Child Act did not expressly outlaw
child marriage, it did define a child as a person under the age of 18,
stating that a parent should “protect the child from neglect,
discrimination, violence, abuse, exposure to physical and moral hazards
and oppression”.
child marriage, it did define a child as a person under the age of 18,
stating that a parent should “protect the child from neglect,
discrimination, violence, abuse, exposure to physical and moral hazards
and oppression”.
This contradictory legal Venn diagram was further
obfuscated by the Local Customary Law of 1963, which allowed Tanzania’s
many ethnic groups to adhere to their customs and traditions.
obfuscated by the Local Customary Law of 1963, which allowed Tanzania’s
many ethnic groups to adhere to their customs and traditions.
The Tanzanian government had long made noises about a
constitutional review process to address these conflicting laws, but
last year’s presidential election campaign, in addition to a lack of
consensus in community surveys, had served to stall any political
momentum on the issue.
constitutional review process to address these conflicting laws, but
last year’s presidential election campaign, in addition to a lack of
consensus in community surveys, had served to stall any political
momentum on the issue.
Only in July 2016 did the government finally ban child marriage outright – but will it actually make a difference?
Female genital mutilation was outlawed in Tanzania in
1998, and yet a 2010 government survey found that in remote parts of
the Mara region, more than 40 percent of girls and women had been cut.
1998, and yet a 2010 government survey found that in remote parts of
the Mara region, more than 40 percent of girls and women had been cut.
While it is true that Tanzania does not rank among
the countries with the highest rates of child marriage, with four out of
10 girls being married before their 18th birthdays, it seems to be a
problem that is not going away.
the countries with the highest rates of child marriage, with four out of
10 girls being married before their 18th birthdays, it seems to be a
problem that is not going away.
And this national average masks more disturbing regional trends in the vast East African country.
In the Shinyanga region, more than 59 percent of
girls like Grace – some of them as young as nine – are forced into child
marriages.
girls like Grace – some of them as young as nine – are forced into child
marriages.
Police corruption
Itendelebanya believes that the actual figure is
concealed by the remoteness of many rural communities, as well as
widespread reports of corrupt police and court officials burying cases
in return for bribes by family members.
concealed by the remoteness of many rural communities, as well as
widespread reports of corrupt police and court officials burying cases
in return for bribes by family members.
The legal and gender officer says there have been
cases of police being paid to ignore some early marriages in villages,
to lose crucial evidence, and to even help forge the incriminating birth
certificates of child brides.
cases of police being paid to ignore some early marriages in villages,
to lose crucial evidence, and to even help forge the incriminating birth
certificates of child brides.
“Police entertain corruption because they benefit
from it,” claims Itendelebanya. “And police see NGOs like Agape as
preventing the flow of money into their pockets.”
from it,” claims Itendelebanya. “And police see NGOs like Agape as
preventing the flow of money into their pockets.”
But Superintendent Pili Simon Misungwi, who heads the
gender desk at the Shinyanga district police station, dismisses any
claims of wrongdoing by her staff.
gender desk at the Shinyanga district police station, dismisses any
claims of wrongdoing by her staff.
In 2008, the Tanzanian government requested that
every police station have such a specialist unit, with trained personnel
who could handle cases of gender-based violence and child abuse across
the country.
every police station have such a specialist unit, with trained personnel
who could handle cases of gender-based violence and child abuse across
the country.
“I can’t deny that corruption does exist because it’s
mostly done in private,” she says. “But I also can’t say that 100
percent of all cases are delayed because of corruption.”
mostly done in private,” she says. “But I also can’t say that 100
percent of all cases are delayed because of corruption.”
“For example, the poverty-stricken parents of a
victim may accept financial compensation from the perpetrator’s family,
which would lead to the adjournment of a case.”
victim may accept financial compensation from the perpetrator’s family,
which would lead to the adjournment of a case.”
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| After 11 months of committing daily rapes and beatings, Grace’s husband died in a motorbike accident [Marc Ellison/Al Jazeera] |
Misungwi says it’s also not uncommon for a child bride’s parents to scupper investigations.
“A girl’s parents may be offered two, three or five
cows by the husband’s family to derail the case,” she says.
cows by the husband’s family to derail the case,” she says.
“And because
life is hard for these people, they often take the money. The police may think the family is cooperating with them, but then
when the time comes to testify they tell us the girl is sick, in another
village, or even dead.”
life is hard for these people, they often take the money. The police may think the family is cooperating with them, but then
when the time comes to testify they tell us the girl is sick, in another
village, or even dead.”
Misungwi stresses that her officers were hired because of their high
moral standing, and then provided with the necessary training.
“And we provide people with a confidential environment where they can
have a one-on-one conversation in private rooms where others cannot
listen,” she adds.
But what the superintendent says, and what actually happens in her absence, appear to be two different things.
Before Misungwi arrives at the station, a young mother sits in the
main office as she tells a police officer about the regular sexual
assaults she endures at the hands of her husband – the private rooms sit
empty.
The officer takes no notes, his attention not on the mother, but on
the Nigerian soap opera blasting from the television set in the corner
of the room.
Other staff members sit nearby, staring into space, periodically checking their phones for text messages.
Meanwhile incidents related to child marriage have doubled over the past two years.
When staff compile a list of these they do not use the Swahili terms,
instead opting for the English equivalents, to mitigate the shocking
nature of the crimes.
Kubaka is replaced with rape, kulawiti is replaced with sodomy, kumpa mimba mwanafunzi is replaced with child pregnancy.
And Misungwi says it is the lack of police resources, rather than
corruption, that has contributed to the prevalence of child marriage in
the region.
“When the government is giving budgets to ministries
like Home Affairs, they don’t have a separate pot of money for the
police gender desk,” she says.
like Home Affairs, they don’t have a separate pot of money for the
police gender desk,” she says.
As a result, her unit has to rely on using one of the
station’s three vehicles to reach remote villages where child marriages
have been reported to them – but these are often already being used for
routine police business.
station’s three vehicles to reach remote villages where child marriages
have been reported to them – but these are often already being used for
routine police business.
“And the witnesses may live very far in the villages
and can’t afford to come to town to do a follow-up interview,” says
Misungwi. “As a result we often can’t reach a conclusion on a case.”
and can’t afford to come to town to do a follow-up interview,” says
Misungwi. “As a result we often can’t reach a conclusion on a case.”
The curious case of Agnes Dotto
“There can be no secrets in the villages.” So says
Paulo Kuyi, who is fighting the ground war against child marriage in the
nearby town of Muchambi.
Paulo Kuyi, who is fighting the ground war against child marriage in the
nearby town of Muchambi.
The 53-year-old activist acts as a primitive early
warning system for the NGO Agape, which in turn tips off the local
police force.
warning system for the NGO Agape, which in turn tips off the local
police force.
Last September, it was the sudden appearance of 16
cows in a family’s compound that triggered alarm bells for Kuyi. And he
knew the poor family had a 13-year-old daughter, Agnes Dotto.
cows in a family’s compound that triggered alarm bells for Kuyi. And he
knew the poor family had a 13-year-old daughter, Agnes Dotto.
“When a dowry has been paid a feast is arranged
before the wedding,” Kuyi explains. “The family now has cows coming into
their clan and they want to celebrate and invite other villagers.”
before the wedding,” Kuyi explains. “The family now has cows coming into
their clan and they want to celebrate and invite other villagers.”
Ten days later, thanks to Kuyi’s regular updates by phone, police and Agape staff raided the wedding ceremony.
The husband-to-be was arrested and taken to the local
police station in Maganzo, where he should have remained until his case
went to trial.
police station in Maganzo, where he should have remained until his case
went to trial.
The next day the man walked free; neither he nor Agnes has been seen since.
Kuyi says that he saw a Maganzo police officer leaving a late-night meeting with village leaders.
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| Grace is now taking vocational classes [Marc Ellison/Al Jazeera] |
“These leaders were paid by Agnes’ parents to help
arrange the marriage,” he claims. “It was because of that complicity
they paid a police officer to release the perpetrator.”
arrange the marriage,” he claims. “It was because of that complicity
they paid a police officer to release the perpetrator.”
These are the “meanders” – as Itendelebanya
euphemistically calls them – that child marriage cases take on their way
to the courts.
euphemistically calls them – that child marriage cases take on their way
to the courts.
Three months on, the police tell the legal officer that they are no closer to finding Agnes or the man.
Assistant Superintendent Meshack Sumuni says the village leaders and the girl’s parents have refused to cooperate.
“And we don’t have the resources to be more proactive
in our investigations,” he says. “The Tanzanian government provides no
specific budget for gender-desk teams, which means we often rely on NGOs
for assistance.”
in our investigations,” he says. “The Tanzanian government provides no
specific budget for gender-desk teams, which means we often rely on NGOs
for assistance.”
The lack of police resources is felt even more keenly here than in Shinyanga.
Roads are regularly washed out in the rainy season,
the unit has no dedicated car pool of its own, and their office is
bereft of furniture or computer equipment and has a leaking roof, which
in the past has led to important legal documents being damaged.
the unit has no dedicated car pool of its own, and their office is
bereft of furniture or computer equipment and has a leaking roof, which
in the past has led to important legal documents being damaged.
“So the gender desk staff feel like they have been
given this role as a punishment,” says Sumuni. “So this in turn affects
their motivation to chase down reports of child marriage and related
cases of abuse.”
given this role as a punishment,” says Sumuni. “So this in turn affects
their motivation to chase down reports of child marriage and related
cases of abuse.”
Back in the village, where there can be no secrets,
it is common knowledge that Kuyi is the one reporting cases of child
marriage to the police.
it is common knowledge that Kuyi is the one reporting cases of child
marriage to the police.
Resentful of the potential loss of income that
marrying off their daughters can generate, villagers have threatened to
lock the activist in his hut and burn it down.
marrying off their daughters can generate, villagers have threatened to
lock the activist in his hut and burn it down.
Kuyi says that he doesn’t care; he is an old man and he has nothing left to fear.
But what worries him are what advances in technology mean for future child marriages going undetected by him.
He has heard rumours that a dowry has already been paid for Agnes’ sister – but by mobile money transfer, and not cattle.
This shift from the traditional, physical form of
payment means Kuyi can no longer be visually tipped off about an
impending marriage.
payment means Kuyi can no longer be visually tipped off about an
impending marriage.
“Many other activists are now reluctant to report
cases to the police,” Kuyi says. “They’ve been intimidated by death
threats, or demoralised when they see only a few cases actually go to
court.”
cases to the police,” Kuyi says. “They’ve been intimidated by death
threats, or demoralised when they see only a few cases actually go to
court.”
Picking up the pieces
Only through death has Grace Masanja clawed back something resembling a life.
After physically and sexually abusing her for 11 months, her husband was killed in a motorbike accident.
Grace, now 13, was filled not with joy, but sorrow.
The man who had raped and beaten her for the better
part of a year was dead – but she now has a child to take care of, and
no income.
part of a year was dead – but she now has a child to take care of, and
no income.
Grace and her child Mathias are at her family’s home, where she and her father live out an uneasy truce.
After hearing an announcement on the radio, she applied to enrol on one of Agape’s vocational skills courses.
Each year, the organisation provides dozens of girls with an
opportunity to learn a trade so that they can become breadwinners in
their own right.
Each year, the organisation provides dozens of girls with an
opportunity to learn a trade so that they can become breadwinners in
their own right.
The majority of the girls opt for
tailoring classes, but others want to take the courses in welding and
electrical engineering – professions that challenge the patriarchal and gendered stereotypes so ingrained in Tanzania’s communities.
tailoring classes, but others want to take the courses in welding and
electrical engineering – professions that challenge the patriarchal and gendered stereotypes so ingrained in Tanzania’s communities.
It is also hoped that the lure of this additional income will lessen the short-term appeal of a dowry to parents.
Grace’s father, Kurwa Masanja, says that he now regrets what he did to his daughter.
“It was Sukuma tradition that forced me to have Grace married when
she finished primary school,” says Kurwa. “When she came back I
apologised, and I hope now that we can slowly become father and daughter
again.
“I cannot repeat this mistake because when Grace came back, she told us what had happened to her.”
But Grace has her doubts, and fears for her four-year-old sister Birha.
“My father has only six of the cows left from my dowry,” she says. “He sold the others to build a second home.”
“What do you think he will do when the others have gone, and he is poor again?”
This research was conducted with the support
of the ‘International Development Reporting Fellowship’
(http://www.akfc.ca/en/get-involved/reporting-fellowship), a joint programme of the Aga Khan Foundation Canada and the Canadian Association of Journalists.
Source: Al Jazeera
