Amid fear of death...
Mariama had to go
By Alie Sonta Kamara
Mariama Conteh Bah is among over seven thousand girls in Sierra Leone who had to suffer traumatic side effects and in some cases death after been compelled into early marriage.
Having been forced into circumcision through the Bondo Society, reports say Mariama suffered from horrible bleeding, which brought her close to her death. “Her dad wanted her to get married, but she had to go through this tradition first," said an informant who required his name be kept secret.
After the painful initiation without her consent, her dad forcefully gave her hand in marriage to a 48-year-old man on May 22, 2020. “Her family members are fanatic Muslims. You can understand the situation.
“She was not doing well in the matrimonial home as the man would beat her up because Mariama displayed defiance," a neighbor said.
This medium learnt that Mariama had to return to her father's house who asked her to go back to her matrimonial home.
Considering the suffering, she sought refuge to a friend in Waterloo but was chased by unknown men who beat her up and asked her to return to her husband's house or face death the next time. Since then, her whereabout is not known.
Mariama's case is among several others with similar ordeals.
Activists say forced marriage can disrupt a girl's education and limit her economic opportunities, as she may be forced into domestic roles at a young age.
“Victims of forced marriage often experience significant emotional and psychological trauma, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder," reads a statement from Girls Not Brides, a global partnership committed to ending child marriage and enabling girls to fulfill their potential.
According to Girls Not Brides, thirty percent of girls in Sierra Leone are married before their 18th birthday and 9% are married before the age of 15.
