Future of a girl, aged 13, speaks 4 languages

[companion]

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/349/story/387871.html

Another story

www.afghana.com/afghanforum/viewtopic.php?p=46198 (http://www.afghana.com/afghanforum/viewtopic.php?p=46198)

Comments requested

[cal13]

Dont see the big hoo har, Indiana jones spoke 6 before he was 18.

[bigvig]

Traded like a commodity, like cattle. 9 sheep and outstanding debt for a daughter.

[brainplay]

Nazir Ahmad made good on his debt by selling his 16-year-old daughter to marry the lender's son.

Umm yeah, its called betrothal. Its been in practice is western countries as well for thousands of years. Surprisingly when the requirement of betrothal was lifted, arranged marriages suddenly became unpopular despite them being considered a thing of upmost morality.

Can't really compare this to western cultures. Apples and oranges.

The prostitution thing is pretty sad but poverty breeds prostitution anywhere in the world. In many places its not even a poverty thing and can turn into a very high ticket job. In her case its a shame she didn't have many other options. However, I take offense to them calling it rape when she is continually peddling the trade and taking money for it. Age of consent be damned. If these guys were forcing themselves, sure. But thats not the case here. The fact that she know's 4 languages to improve HER JOB makes it even worse.

[Van Gogh]

I think that afghanistan is under heavy pressure to modernize like the west, but faster than the west did. One has to look at the factors that lead to the modernization of the west such as the railroad, pony express, the library, the jail, stuff like this must be in place before modernization can begin full swing. Oh yeah, and can't forget the slave trade.

[Macs.]

Umm yeah, its called betrothal. Its been in practice is western countries as well for thousands of years. Surprisingly when the requirement of betrothal was lifted, arranged marriages suddenly became unpopular despite them being considered a thing of upmost morality.

Can't really compare this to western cultures. Apples and oranges.

Why is it Apples and Oranges ?

It's 2008, and not medieval ages, so your "it was practice in western countries too" argument doesn't work anymore.

There is no excuse for this.


However, I take offense to them calling it rape when she is continually peddling the trade and taking money for it.

You take it as a offense when someone calls adults who have *** with a girl as young as 11 rapists ?

Think about what you are writing here. :cantbeli:It may not be the exact right word for this crime but that is the least you should be offended by when reading this article.

[wildcat]

. However, I take offense to them calling it rape when she is continually peddling the trade and taking money for it. Age of consent be damned. If these guys were forcing themselves, sure. But thats not the case here. The fact that she know's 4 languages to improve HER JOB makes it even worse.

Lets blame the victim, she was forced into this work, and it might not be as easy to get out, there are many factor...like being raped, at a young age, this will screws girls up pretty good. I know many girls that have been raped, they all have issues most live a screwed up life, and have low self esteem

[Lokos]

I take offense to them calling it rape

Are you a customer?

Lokos

[Mackie]

Dont see the big hoo har, Indiana jones spoke 6 before he was 18.

2 friends of me spoke 7 before they were 19. p-)

[Angelino]

Big freaking deal. Both my older sister and I were pentalingual (that's 5 different languages from 3 different language families) by the time we were 5 or 6 years old. My younger brother is tri-lingual.

It helps when your parents are from two different cultures and you're brought up in a third place that speaks a completely different language from your parents :). Since kids generally pick up languages faster than adults, we ended up speaking a bunch of languages.

For the record, every family in my neighbourhood was bilingual and many of the kids were tri-lingual.