10 year old gets a divorce

Yes a ten year old. She is from Yemen. And sadly they still sell their daughters as property to old men. This little girl was sold to a man who was thirty years older than she, for a "dowry" of 250 dollars. Apparently that is what the life of a female child is worth in Yemen. Unsurprisingly, the man who bought, I mean married her, beat and raped her daily. When she pleaded to be allowed to go back home, she was of course denied. Her husband would not give back his punching bag. I am sure that her father wouldn't take her back either. After all business is business.

Well this brave and amazing ten year old decided she wouldn't take it any more. When her mother sent her on an errand into the city she went by bus , then took a cab to the courthouse. At the courthouse she wasn't sure what to do so she sat on a bench outside and waited. A judge finally took notice of her and asked what she needed. She answered that she wanted a divorce.
The judge actually took the girl home to play with his 8 yr old daughter and allowed her to stay. Her divorce was granted 2 days later. At the time she was the youngest girl to be granted a divorce. Sadly, a 9 year old later recieved a divorce. This young girl has inspired a small percentage of girls to divorce abusive husbands. But should anyone under the age of 18 ever have to know what it is like to go through a divorce?
The young girl, whose name is Nujood Ali, says she has no plans of ever getting married again. She hopes to be a lawyer and inspire girls to fight child marriages. She says that girls should not be scared of their fathers and husbands. No they shouldn't, but then their fathers should not be selling them to men. And men should not be buying children for wives.
People in America want to talk about slavery that ended almost 150 years ago. Yes it was wrong and tragic. But it's over and there is not anyone still alive that was a slave. And for that matter, there is no one alive that owned slaves. I don't owe anybody anything. I am working person like everyone else. In the Middle East, slavery is still alive and strong. Women are property to be bought and sold. They have no voice, they have no power. They must cover themselves from head to toe and bear children. When their daughters are barely out of diapers they too will be sold. We Americans tend to be good at feeling sorry for ourselves and the tough times we face. But at the age of ten, I was playing at recess and climbing trees. I had dolls, and dreamed about having a pony one day. I did not spend days hoping that my husband would not beat and rape me.
I am outraged that this girl was put through this ordeal. I am, however; hopeful that she will start a revolution. No outsider can go into the middle east and hope to change this, although we can give aid. Women need to find power and value in themselves and stand up. Only when women as a group stand up and tell the male dominant society that they are worthy, and that they will tolerate this treatment no longer, will true change occur. So I say to this little girl: Bring the Revolution!