It’s a story stretching back to the beginning of human civilization. A young girl is forced to marry a man against her will. Several different populations, cultures, and continents practiced arranged marriage at one point in history. Although it still occurs around the globe, no one wants to believe that it’s going on in the United States in 2018. And yet, that’s exactly what happened to a 16-year-old girl in San Antonio, Texas.
Maarib Al Hishmawi was reported missing by her parents in late January. She was last seen leaving her high school and never made it home. Her parents, Abdulah Fahmi Al Hishmawi and Hamdiyah Saha Al Hishmawi, even appeared on television pleading for their daughter’s safe return. The girl was located in mid-March in the care of an organization that was providing her assistance. Why had she left? According to authorities, Al Hishmawi arranged for his daughter to be married to an older man in another state. In exchange for his daughter, he would receive $20,000.
According to news reports, Al Hishmawi informed his daughter of her upcoming marriage when she was 15-years-old. When she refused, the young girl was subjected to horrific abuse at the hands of her parents that included throwing hot oil on their daughter, beating her with a broomstick, and choking her. The abuse only let up once the girl agreed to the marriage. Al Hishmawi reportedly received $20,000 in his credit union account on his daughter’s 16th birthday, the legal age of marriage in Texas. But before she could be married off, the young girl ran away from home.
https://youtu.be/_Ugb3WMIj0k
The Iraqi family has been in the United States for the past two years. Iraq is a country notorious for its treatment of women. Activists often refer to Middle Eastern countries as “the honor kill zone.” Women have next to no rights in Iraq and remain subservient to men. When a woman brings dishonor on her family, it’s not uncommon for male members to kill her. So-called dishonorable behavior can include speaking to a man, choosing a husband, and refusing an arranged marriage. Immigration to western countries doesn’t always guarantee a fresh start.
Upon being arrested, Al Hishmawi asserted his innocence—even suggesting that his daughter could be on drugs.
It should be noted that Islam doesn’t condone violence or killing of women. Many Muslim religious leaders frequently condemn the act. But the practice is rooted in cultural norms found in Muslim countries, and it’s not confined to those countries. Europe has seen several documented cases of honor killings and violence against women in immigrant communities. Sadly, it has also happened in the United States.
In 2009, an Egyptian man shot and killed his two daughters in Texas because they had American boyfriends. In that same year, an Iraqi immigrant in Arizona killed his daughter by running her over with his car because she had become “too Westernized.” Luckily, Maarib Al Hishmawi bravely escaped with her life before being sold to the highest bidder. I have no doubt what kind of fate awaits her if she’s ever returned to the custody of her father.
