Abducted from Home and Forced into Marriage: The Complex Reality of Bride Kidnapping in Kazakhstan.

Bride

kidnapping

, a traditional practice rooted in Central Asia more than a century ago, continues today, especially in Kazakhstan. In fact, the practice of this tradition has seen a marked increase in some regions since Kazakhstan became independent from the Soviet Union and efforts were made to revive certain local communities. The custom of

bride

kidnapping

has its consensual and non-consensual forms and both manifestations infringe the rights of women, emblematic of a region characterized by male dominance. In 2006, in her

home

in Kazakhstan, Lena Jankar Kei experienced an unexpected intrusion when a man entered abruptly into her room and took her away.

Lena, initially surprised, turned into acceptance when she realized that her captor was actually her boyfriend, whom she had known for 2 months outside her residence. A waiting car finally transported her to her boyfriend's house, where her relatives anxiously awaited the arrival of the captives dressed in bridal attire. Veiled, she was quickly led to the house. Bride kidnapping in Kazakhstan is known as AIP Kash, which translates to Take the girl and run. More than a decade has passed since that day and the young man who took her is now her husband with whom she shares. three children Lena's family resides beyond the capital city and adheres firmly to traditional Central Asian ways of life.

The number of non-consensual kidnappings may have fortunately decreased due to their illegality, but consensual

bride

kidnappings persist. The problem lies in the fact that women often give their consent after feeling a lack of alternatives after being kidnapped by their partners. This is precisely the situation that Lena found herself in. Lena, an ethnic Mongolian, came to Kazakhstan to continue her education. During her stay there, she crossed paths with ö tarelli, a local young man from her mutual insurance company. The attraction led to a deep and genuine love, although unfortunately Lena's family opposed their union with the desire to prevent her from permanently settling in Kazakhstan in a desperate attempt to ensure that their partnership could flourish and gain the consent of her family.

Ernat made the difficult decision to kidnap Lena on that fateful day when he struggled with uncertainty, but his main motivation was to prevent Lena from returning to her

home

land, it is important to note that, aside from personal reasons, the kidnapping of brides in Kazakhstan is also due to financial considerations: it offers men a means to avoid the expenses associated with diaries and weddings. ensure its longevity if only for these two compelling reasons the vast area and the small population of this region have contributed to the existence of small dispersed tribal communities, this geographical isolation has given rise to hostilities and competition between these tribes marry a woman of A rival tribe is considered a symbol of Victory among the inhabitants of this area, the only means to achieve this Victory was and continues to be by kidnapping or stealing the wife of their tribal adversary despite the possibility of causing tribal conflict in this way. .

Bride kidnapping remains deeply ingrained in the local way of life with both consensual and non-consensual bride kidnapping being used to speed up

marriage

s, secure approval and evade dowry obligations. This cultural tradition is a very real manifestation of male dominance in this society where men capture women instead of courting them and encouraging

marriage

s. based on equality, although Lena did not actively oppose her boyfriend's decision on that faithful day, her choice was far from entirely her own, very few women turned down the opportunity to start a family with boyfriends who accepted them and often did as well. They saw it as an opportunity.

It is valuable to let it pass for Lena that her geographic separation from her home played a large role in her acceptance of being kidnapped and starting a life with someone she had known for only 8 weeks. Lena revealed that at the time she harbored fears of ensnaring her father and mother. with her guard down, but given his considerable distance from her, he finally decided to accept her kidnapping that day. Later, she explained her circumstances to her family and emphasized her genuine love for her boyfriend's 64-year-old mother-in-law Samiria Lena, dressed in a traditional Kazakh costume. She herself experienced the tradition of bride kidnapping, so it was no surprise that she acquiesced in her son's decision to kidnap Lena, even in the face of disapproval from Lena's own family.

Samaria revealed that her son had consulted her and she readily granted her consent to the bride's kidnapping. Before the woman could return to her own family, her conviction was based on the belief that the women in her family would understand and support her choice of partner given the depth of her love. Samaria emphasized that her son had not resorted to any kind of force in the matter after Lena's kidnapping and her consent after the fact that her family had no choice but to accept the path she had voluntarily taken today, more than a decade Afterwards, the couple's love remains as strong as ever, defying the odds of their brief acquaintance and the decisions shaped by Youthful.

Emotions, however, bride-kidnapping marriages marred by limited knowledge and lack of mutual agreement often end in divorce. Almati, the former capital, is one of the few cities in Kazakhstan that has fully embraced Western culture. Architecture and the clothing of its people The people differ noticeably from other cities, it is a country where modernity and old traditions coexist, regardless of whether they dress in modern or traditional ethnic clothing. Male dominance remains deeply rooted and shows no signs of abating, furthermore, since Kazakhstan's separation from the Soviet Union in the 1990s. Kazakh society has shifted towards a more conservative stance, contrary to the prevailing global trend of liberalism, Traditional beliefs, cultures and practices that had declined under communist rule have returned driven by the aspiration to build a nation, ancient beliefs have led to the prevalence of customs such as arranged marriages, polygamy and even bride kidnapping practices. that took deep root in Central Asia long before the Soviet era and are now experiencing a resurgence.

These traditional customs serve to perpetuate gender disparities. Rya Omarova, a 32-year-old Kazakh woman, is also a victim of bride kidnapping despite her contemporary condition. clothing, she has encountered a culture that she perceives as outdated, as has Lena; However, Riya's narrative took a different turn than Lena's. She decided to divorce her husband and is currently raising her son as a single mother after Kazakhstan's independence from the Soviet Union. careers and enjoyed state welfare benefits such as free education in a communist economy that lasted more than 70 years, they now face the challenges found in the new competitive or capitalist system as they transition from a communist society , they face a lot of challenges in their lives.

Journey towards newfound and long-awaited freedoms, many women find themselves unable to afford an education, lose employment opportunities or end up in low-income positions and some even turn to prostitution back then Rya worked as a waitress and offered no resistance when she was Kidnapped by a financially secure man whom she had only known for a month. For many women, marriage is perceived as the root of a better quality of life for men. The tradition of bride kidnapping streamlines the marriage process by avoiding the need to build relationships. or engage in mutual considerations Rya said that she was kidnapped in 2011 and went with him voluntarily at that time she was facing financial difficulties and was looking for a man who could take care of her money was the main consideration behind their agreement that day she thought it would take her to a better future However, financial security alone cannot guarantee a harmonious married life and it was the influence of money on her decision that made her mother-in-law have a negative view of her making her married life intolerable.

Rya said that her ex-husband's family didn't like her mainly because they didn't know her, they considered her just the woman their son had kidnapped, they started arguing with her and started pressuring her ex-husband to stop giving her money, then he realized he had to leave AA shman. Bava, a women's rights activist in Kazakhstan, said starting a marriage by kidnapping the bride often leads to early separation that usually culminates in divorce and women often take on the responsibility of raising their children alone in Kazakhstan. and there is a saying that characterizes a woman's journey as Constrained and suffocating, numerous women enter into marriages that are not of their own worth or affection and only a few muster the courage to break free from such unions.

Divorcing a spouse not only results in social ostracism for women, but also ushers in financial hardship, Rya said. that her income is less than that of her ex-husband and that she is currently raising her son alone; Her ex-spouse was willing to commit to providing financial support until her child turned 18 on the condition that she would gradually repay him when her ex-husband's child became financially independent. However, Rya rejected this offer. In addition to the revival of ancient traditions, the long-standing wage gap between men and women, combined with the lack of policies protecting women's rights in the post-Soviet era, are major challenges in the effort to end the practice of kidnapping. of brides if you want to see more great content from around the world, like the video, subscribe to our channel and press the bell icon.

Thanks, after Kazakhstan's independence, she embarked on a path to democracy that mirrors transitions in other former Soviet core countries. Asian nations such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkestan and Usbekistan, all these countries aspired to embrace democracy and integrate into the global Free Trade Network. However, the path to democracy led to a change that marginalized women and it appears that the pursuit of political freedom here does not include gender equality. Gender-based violence and oppressive gender customs have become increasingly visible, but are rarely prosecuted under the legal systems of these countries. In 2018, a 20-year-old medical student from Kyrgyzstan was kidnapped by a man who was in love with her and tried to force himself on her.

Gara Coan Aliva, the mother of the deceased, said the entire family experienced an overwhelming sense of pain and loss. They were left in a state of desperation due to the absence of legal recourse for such situations, the government and the police chose to remain silent on the matter as a direct result of the murder of her daughter. She now firmly believes that it is time for her to end the culture of bride kidnapping. Once and for all, the tragedy prompted more than a thousand young Kgi women to organize protests against bride kidnapping. They carried signs that said "end bride kidnapping and give women the chance to be happy" their rallying cry was for justice in all cases involving women Garin was Anova The leader of a protest group explained that she is emerging a united voice among the younger generations who strongly oppose the practice of bride kidnapping.

She highlights the importance of conveying the message that marriage should be a product of mutual consent between both parties involved. She calls on fathers and mothers of young men to stop supporting this cultural tradition in Kazakhstan, while bride kidnapping initiated by strangers is rare. Cases of kidnapping without warning or after only brief knowledge persist, as violations of women's rights sometimes involve unreported and unpunished acts of violence while it is commonly believed that women can easily reject marriage proposals. . The prevailing notion that every woman must be selected for marriage and that marriage is considered the pinnacle of life complicates this simple choice in Kazakhstan.

Furthermore, cases of bride kidnapping and violence against women frequently occurred in the post-Soviet era. are not challenged by the legal system in Central Asian nations, although women's representation in influential professions and roles involving social decision-making continues to lag behind that of men. Women are often the most enthusiastic drivers of social change. Currently, teachers and students of the Kazakh Women's College are engaged. In debates about the practice of bride kidnapping within their culture, as new generations become more familiar with Western cultures that adopt contemporary fashion into theirstyle of dress and attitudes, the enduring custom of bride kidnapping in this region seems to remain entrenched as a tradition that can sometimes be obscured.

The hidden violence and violations of women's rights associated with this practice make it difficult for many young people to recognize these problems; However, within this cultural context, teachers and youth in this community are determined to instigate change, said Sah Nakon Bra, a university professor in Kazakhstan. that the practice of bride kidnapping, while historically linked to avoiding the payment of dowries, essentially allows men to kidnap women without their consent, a notion he strongly opposes; Meanwhile, du Zenka, a university student, expressed her disapproval of this tradition and considers it incompatible with a more progressive world. believes that in today's society a satisfying family can be built without the need for an elaborate and therefore expensive wedding, although some people who have experienced bride kidnapping could pass this culture on to their descendants as a family tradition. and ancient, both Lena and Rya are staunch advocates of its removal from Kazakhstan, this is particularly true when the couples have only known each other for a short time, as was the case with Lena and Rya;

Notably, Lena's situation did not culminate in divorce, but they remain committed to ending this practice. However, Lena expressed her disapproval of this cultural anomaly and noted that it does not align with significant changes in the modern world. She firmly stated that if she had a daughter, she would not want her to suffer from girlfriend kidnapping. Additionally, Rya believes that if the kidnapping takes place shortly after the individual's encounter, she would pose a substantial challenge to establishing a strong and healthy family. On the contrary, and perhaps unsurprisingly, Lena's husband sees it as a tradition that can continue to be upheld.

This highlights the divergence in views between women and men on On this matter, she commented that in certain circumstances where financial constraints or family restrictions prevent marriage, there may be no alternative but to resort to kidnapping. Bride kidnapping accurately reflects gender roles within Kazakh society. It underlines the position of men who often see themselves as the decision makers. and exert authority in selecting a mate like hunters following their prey, while also highlighting the role of women who often see the value in being chosen by a man and anticipate that men will care for them for life.

These perspectives, of course, extend. beyond the realm of bride kidnapping and can be found in various forms throughout the world